Only Here Until Summer Ends

1. Charli

CHARLI

What great romance ever had an ultimatum in its happily ever after? None that I’ve ever heard of. It's normally more a question of unconditional acceptance, some grand gesture, or ultimate forgiveness. Not “I'll need your answer by the holiday.”

I turn to Oliver, my coworker and BFF, and whisper, “Tyler wants to know this weekend. I haven’t heard from him though.”

Oliver grunts. “Do you know what you’re going to do?”

The drip coffee machine hisses at me. “We really need to get a new machine for the café.”

“It just needs a new filter. You’re avoiding my question,” Oliver grumbles as he checks his hair in the mirror behind the back counter.

Oliver and I have been friends since Seascape Elementary School, when his dark hair was in a buzz cut and I had two, poofy, brown pigtails.

We were always the same height until high school when he sprouted up two inches past my five foot ten inches.

He’s worked here with me since I opened the shop.

I let out a shaky breath. “I have some conditions.”

“It’s about time,” he whispers before patting my shoulder.

Sonja interrupts us. “Hey, Charli, is the coffee ready? We just got an order for three large hots, all regulars.” Her blonde curls bounce as she turns back to the customers.

“Just another minute here,” I tell her, pulling three large paper cups from the dispenser. The smell of the freshly brewed coffee awakens my senses as I fill the order.

It’s Memorial Day weekend in New England, which signifies the official start to summer in my hometown of Seascape, Rhode Island.

There will be a big barbecue at my grandparents’ house, plenty of beach time, and a family sail.

My cousins are coming to visit and my shop, The Sweet Spot, will be busy with tourists.

I should be excited, but instead my joy is robbed by all the tossing and turning I’ve been doing this week.

All I can think about is Tyler and what I’m going to tell him.

I’m so tired, I can barely keep my eyes open.

It would be smart for me to pay attention, which I find out as I accidentally lay my hand onto the searing hot top of the espresso machine.

“Ouch!” I yelp, shaking my hand.

“Did you burn yourself again?” asks Oliver as he glances at me through his black rimmed glasses, which he needs if he wants to see anything at all. He might look intimidating with his tattoo sleeves and his multiple ear piercings, but he’s a big softie.

“Yes, I wasn’t paying attention to the espresso machine.”

He moves closer to me so that Sonja and our customers can’t hear us. “Stop overthinking everything and go with your instincts. Trust yourself,” he says quietly, concern lacing his words.

I chew my lip and study the burn on my thumb. The thing is, I don’t trust myself with an answer, because I don’t even know who I am anymore. I’ve spent too many years trying so hard not to be like my mother and I’m stuck in autopilot.

He elbows me. “Charli?”

The bell by the door chimes and Oliver nudges me in the side again.

“What?” I mutter. The scent of toasted everything bagel permeates the shop and the din of our customers' voices drown out my response to him.

“Look who just walked in,” he grinds out in a low voice as he returns to making orders.

I glance over my shoulder into the café as the front door creaks.

As if he’s in slow motion, Tyler, my on again/off again boyfriend since high school, saunters in.

He’s silhouetted in the sunlight, cutting a fine form in the doorway.

Dark wavy hair curls out from under his white captain's hat and his skin is tanned from being on the ferry all day.

His shoulders and biceps bulge underneath his crisp shirt and his pants are tight across his thigh muscles.

The blue and white ferry uniform fits him perfectly, with the dark sunglasses rounding out the combo.

He looks damn good. When he was in the Navy, those dress whites killed me every time.

He’s classically handsome and used to make me salivate, but at this moment, I feel, meh?

Maybe I need to listen to my gut and take it as a sign.

I used to dream about a perfect life with him and our future children, the opposite of what I had as a child.

But now the thought of that existence with him makes my stomach turn.

Pulling down his sunglasses, his blue eyes rake over my body.

I’m wearing old and faded black capri leggings with a blue Sweet Spot t-shirt and apron combo.

Totally NOT hot. I wonder if I’ve got flour on my ass.

I turn to face him and plaster a smile on my face.

We haven’t spoken in weeks since we put all our feelings on the table.

Instead of making a decision, I’ve avoided contact.

The smolder in his eyes is telling me he’s ready for my answer. He wants a big fat, YES. He puts his sunglasses in his shirt pocket and cracks a smile, blue eyes boring into mine.

In unison, Sonja and Oliver clear their throats beside me. I catch them rolling their eyes at each other. Get it together, Charli, you’re a thirty-year-old woman, this is your business, and you’ve got customers here.

His shadow interrupts the sun’s glare on the hardwood floors, another gorgeous day on the harbor. Suddenly, the bright airy space seems awfully small and it’s as if the ceiling is shrinking down on me as he comes closer.

“Hey, Tyler, how’ve you been?” The words come out of my mouth much cooler than intended. I absently run a hand over my head, checking my messy bun that’s probably falling out by now.

“Fine, just gearing up for a busy weekend and thought I’d stop in and grab a bite to eat from the best place in Seascape,” he says with a wide grin, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

Oliver groans over the hum of the coffee machine, and mutters, “Please.”

I hope Tyler doesn’t hear him. Not that it would surprise him; Oliver has picked up the pieces of my heart whenever things with Tyler have fallen apart. The nights he went out with his boys instead of me, skipping out on sailing with Mimi and Pop, and all those long deployments.

"The order line is over there. Please keep our pick up station clear. Thanks!" Oliver barks at Tyler.

Tyler ignores him and focuses on me. My cheeks heat and I cringe internally.

“Would you like your regular? We’ve got sourdough rolls ready here,” Sonja pipes up. There’s a fake sweetness to her tone that I’m sure Tyler doesn’t pick up on. He thinks everyone likes him.

Tyler looks at her and smiles. “That'd be great, Sonja. I’ll take extra pickles on my chicken and bacon ranch.” He steps up to the counter, crossing his arms. “Are your cousins coming down this weekend, Char?”

I nod with tight lips. “Mhmm. Just like every year since we were teenagers, Ty,” an edge to my voice.

Squaring his shoulder, he shifts his weight to both feet and adjusts the cuff of his shirt. He holds my sullen gaze for a beat, then clears his throat. “Well, I’d love to see you tomorrow night before you get busy running around town with Andi and Sam. We have a lot to talk about.”

I glance at the coffee machine as if it will somehow bolster me before turning back to Tyler. “All right, text me when your last boat comes in tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I will.”

He shoots Sonja a wink as he takes his to-go bag, reaching into his pocket and placing a twenty on the counter. Thanks for the best lunch around, Sonja.”

She gives him a curt nod. “You're welcome, Tyler.”

When he looks over at me, he smiles lazily, confident about our quasi date.

As he leaves, I go into a daze analyzing how our discussion will go down.

We’ve had a lot of good times together, especially during our high school years.

My home life was a disaster, and his house was a safe place for me.

We parted ways when he went into the Navy but picked right back up when he returned six years later.

But the last few years have had more downs than ups.

There hasn’t been anything major, it’s been more of an endless stream of small disappointments.

But with our shared history, neither one of us seems to be able to end things.

As soon as the door closes, Oliver complains, “Charli, why do you keep going back to him? It’s been years of this!”

“I’m taking my break now,” Sonja mumbles and turns to go back into the kitchen.

“You took a break already, remember,” Oliver chides. “We’re just getting busy again.”

I pour the finished coffee into the self-serve containers. “It’s fine. I’m here now and she needs a breather. Let’s just get back to work.” I pat him on the shoulder and give him a frown.

Oliver’s no stranger to the issues between Ty and me. I get his point, and deep down, I know he’s right. Tyler has been my past, he’s my present, but will he be my future?

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