Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
TESSA
The Corner Scoop had changed in twelve years, at least in some ways.
I stood on the sidewalk, taking in the pastel pink exterior, the new sign with whimsical lettering, and the tourists inside.
The sight triggered a rush of memories—summer nights with Lila, both of us sticky with melted ice cream and sunburned, convinced we had the whole world figured out. Turned out, we’d known nothing.
Needing to talk over my abrupt change in situation with someone, I’d texted Lila the moment Braden left the marina. My fingers flew across the screen.
Tessa: I need advice. Get together?
Her response was immediate.
Lila: Ice cream for lunch? Meet at the Corner Scoop at noon?
Ice cream for lunch. Why not? I’d spent the morning in our cramped office at the marina, trying to focus on pH levels and salinity with Kaia and Zane while my mind drifted to what I’d say over lunch.
Now here I was, my stomach doing flips. I pushed through the door and was enveloped by the scent of waffle cones and sugar.
The interior was slightly different now—the same white subway tiles and long glass case of colorful ice cream, but the small round tables and chairs were decidedly more modern.
The whole place looked refreshed. Lila was already at our old favorite spot in the corner, waving me over with a grin.
“Tessa!” she called as I approached. “I’m so glad you texted. I was hoping we’d reconnect.”
I slid into the chair across from her. “Sorry it’s taken a few days. Blame it on the data. It’s a demanding mistress.”
Lila’s grin widened. “Don’t tell me you need help identifying a new species of sea sponge. I have a hunch this conversation is a little more... human-sized.”
I shrugged. “Definitely not sponges. Unless they’ve suddenly developed feelings.”
“Uh-oh. Feelings on your part or someone else’s?”
“Both. I spent most of yesterday with Braden.”
Before I could expand, a woman with warm brown eyes and an easy smile appeared at our table. She wore a Corner Scoop T-shirt, her dark hair pulled back in a practical ponytail. “Lila, good to see you. The usual?”
“You know it,” Lila replied, then gestured to me. “And Brynn, I want you to meet an old friend. This is Tessa Donovan.”
The woman’s eyebrows rose in recognition. “Dr. Donovan? The one running the Scripps project? It’s nice to finally meet you. The town’s been buzzing.”
“Just Tessa, please,” I said, managing a smile despite feeling suddenly self-conscious. I glanced around the renovated space, looking for the owner who was a fixture of the place. “Where’s Doris?”
The woman, whose name tag read Brynn, smiled. “Retired and moved to be closer to family. The Scoop is mine now. What can I get you?”
I thought quickly. “I’ll have—”
“Key lime pie in a bowl,” Lila interrupted with a grin. “It’s still your favorite, right?”
The fact that she remembered after all these years made my chest warm. “Yeah. It is.”
Brynn nodded at us. “Two key lime scoops coming up. And Tessa, welcome home.”
She disappeared behind the counter, leaving me staring after her.
“That’s Brynn Mercer,” Lila explained. “She bought this place and completely revitalized it. Married to Dean, who set up a financial planning business. They’re good people.”
I nodded, still processing the warmth and the differences. In California, I was Dr. Donovan, the researcher. Here, I was just Tessa, the girl who used to eat too much key lime pie ice cream.
“So,” Lila said, leaning forward with obvious interest. “Spill. What’s going on with you and Braden?”
“We worked together yesterday morning when he helped me at the dive site. After we finished, we had lunch and ended up talking for a couple of hours.”
Brynn returned with our ice cream, setting the bowls down with a flourish before retreating. I stared at the pale green swirls, my appetite suddenly uncertain
“Okayyy…” She drew the word out. “And that had you agreeing to ice cream for lunch?”
“He kissed me. Yesterday. After the dive.”
Lila’s eyebrows shot halfway up her forehead. “Kissed you? Like, actually kissed you, or a friendly peck on the cheek?”
“Like... full on the lips.” The memory sent heat flooding through me, and I cooled it with a spoonful of the tart, perfect confection. “And then this morning, he showed up at my boat with this whole speech about boundaries and keeping things simple.”
“You two are anything but.”
“Yeah. No kidding.” With a sigh, I set my spoon down. “He proposed an arrangement. We acknowledge what’s between us, but when my project ends, we both walk away clean. No complications, no drama, no expectations.”
Overhead, a catchy, upbeat pop song started playing, sung by a woman with a throaty yet playful voice. Lila immediately started bobbing her head, humming along to the chorus.
“You too?” I asked with a frown. “I heard this at the grocery store yesterday.”
Lila stopped humming and stared at me. “Tessa, please tell me you know who Sutton Vale is.”
I ran through my mental catalog but came up empty. “Should I?”
“She’s only the biggest pop star on the planet. Grammy winner?” She shook her head, laughing. “God, you really have been living under a rock. Or underwater.”
“I’ve been busy,” I defended before taking another bite of ice cream.
“Yeah, which gets me back to the topic of discussion. Let me get this straight… Braden, who maybe I should or shouldn’t mention isn’t known for his relationships with women, wants a casual, time-limited fling?”
“It’s not a fling. I, um…” I struggled for the words. “It’s acknowledging reality. I have a life in California. This is a temporary assignment.”
“Uh-huh.” Lila took a deliberate bite of her ice cream. “And you agreed to this?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
The question caught me off guard. I picked up my spoon and took a bite of the tangy ice cream, using the time to gather my thoughts.
“Because he’s right. In twelve weeks, I’m getting on a plane and going back to my real life.
This way, we both know what we’re getting into.
We can spend time together without anyone getting hurt. ”
Lila set her spoon down with a clack. “Tessa, honey, I say this with love—that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
I blinked. “Excuse me?”
“You think you can spend twelve weeks with your ex, diving together, working together, sleeping together, and then just walk away? With nobody getting hurt?” She shook her head. “You’re playing with dynamite.”
“It’s not like that—”
“It’s exactly like that.” Lila’s voice was gentle but firm. “I’ve watched Braden for twelve years. I’ve seen him build that business, watched him pour everything into making something of himself. You know what I haven’t seen? Him look at another woman the way he used to look at you.”
My stomach tightened into a hard knot.
“Look, I’m not saying don’t do this. But don’t fool yourself about what it is. Braden might be trying to protect himself with rules and boundaries, but I have a feeling his heart might not work that way. Or yours.”
My defensive wall slammed into place. “You don’t know what my heart does.”
Lila’s expression softened instantly. She held up her hands in surrender. “You’re right. I’m sorry. That was out of line. It’s just...” She trailed off, shaking her head as if frustrated with herself.
The anger drained out of me, replaced by a weary ache. I’d asked Lila to discuss this very situation, and I was already pushing her away. “No. Don’t stop. Please. What were you going to say?”
She hesitated, then leaned forward. “I remember how it was back then. All that pressure from your parents about being made for something bigger, something more. The idea that staying here meant giving up.” She paused, choosing her words carefully.
“And now you’re back, and I just wonder if you’re seeing that small isn’t the same thing as less. ”
The words landed right on the bruise I’d been nursing for a week. I couldn’t speak. I just stared down at my melting ice cream.
“Look,” Lila continued gently. “It’s great that you two are talking. But Braden’s not the same kid you left. He’s built a good life here. So be careful. With his heart, and with yours.”
“Thanks. I’ll try.” I finally managed a small, tight nod. I stood up, my legs feeling unsteady. “I should go. I need to get ready. We’re going out tonight.”
Lila stood, too, rounding the table to give me a hug. “I’m on your side. Always.”
“I know. And thanks for sharing what was on your mind. I needed to hear it. I’m not sure what will happen tonight, but I feel better having talked it out with you.”
The bell on the door chimed as I stepped out onto the street and headed back to my townhouse.
By 5:30, I’d changed outfits three times.
I stood before my bathroom mirror, studying my reflection with the same critical eye I’d use on a questionable data set.
The simple sundress I’d finally settled on—a soft coral that brought out the auburn in my hair—felt both too casual and too deliberate.
My hair hung loose around my shoulders, and I’d applied just enough makeup to look like I’d made an effort without trying too hard.
The whole exercise was ridiculous. This wasn’t a real date. It was a trial run for our twelve-week arrangement. A test of our boundaries.
A slow-motion heartbreak I willingly signed up for.
Lila’s words echoed as I grabbed my purse, and I shoved them aside. She was wrong. I could do this. I was a scientist, trained in objectivity and rational thinking. Emotions could be managed, controlled, compartmentalized.
The knock on my door came at exactly six o’clock.
I opened it to find Braden standing on my doorstep, and my carefully constructed rationale evaporated.
He wore dark jeans and a button-down shirt in a deep blue that made his eyes look impossibly bright.
His hair was slightly damp, as if he’d just showered, and the scent of his cologne—something woodsy and clean—made me want to step closer.
“Hey, you,” he said, his voice low.
“Hi.” I sounded breathless, which was mortifying.