26. Charli
CHARLI
Sunday morning, Gage texts me, but I’m already at work.
Gage: Good morning. Did you sleep okay? I miss you.
I tell Sonja I’m going on a break. He misses me? He could have woken up with me. I breeze out the front door, letting it slam behind me and walk toward the pier. I need to be away from people for a few minutes.
Me: Morning. I wish you woke up with me again.
Gage: Me too. But we’ll be together soon.
Should I go there? I’m feeling salty.
Me: I had to use my vibrator last night.
Gage: I know you’re disappointed.
Me: I want you to make it up to me.
Gage: I will. I want to taste you when you come on my tongue.
God damn! Desire pools between my legs. I can’t stay mad at him because I know he did the right thing, or I wouldn’t feel the way I do about him.
Me: I can’t wait. I miss you too.
Gage: I’m free after lunch Tuesday. Want to go to Seal Rock Beach?
Me: Sounds perfect.
Gage: Charters all day and night today.
Me: $$ Going shopping in Port City tomorrow. I’ll bring some snacks. <3
Gage: I’ll get lunch. Just bring yourself.
The holiday weekend has an okay finish after a dismal start.
Even though I have to work on the Fourth, the shop is super busy and the customers are happy.
I’m still sexually frustrated after last night, but I see his point, the only time that I have been forward has been when I've been drinking.
I want to be with him, but my confidence has been lacking.
Why does he have to be so cute and so right?
He has a fireworks charter tonight to Port City, so I meet my family at Mimi and Pop’s to watch from their porch, which has a perfect view of the bay.
The display will be in the distance, but it’s still beautiful when the lights shimmer across the water.
We’re having seafood again at Ian’s request, steamed little necks dipped in butter, lobster salad rolls, cole slaw, and Mimi’s homemade fries.
I’m bringing some molasses cookies and vanilla ice cream for dessert.
When I arrive, Ian is relaxing on the porch in one of the rocking chairs. I ask, “So how was your day?”
“Good, I got up late after the bonfire last night, then I went on a run to North Point and met up with Andi and Sam at the town beach for a while.”
Leaning on the railing, I glance out to the bay. “Sounds like a good Fourth.”
“It’s nice to get out of the city. You’re right, I should come down and see them more often. Well, and you too.”
I make a face at him and join him on a rocker. “I want to talk business with you.”
“Okay, shoot.” He lifts his sunglasses to rest on top of his head.
“Oliver is going to invest in The Sweet Spot to become a co-owner, and we might open another location. I want to do it.”
“Wow. I didn’t know Oliver had so much money. I think that it could be a good plan. You have a goldmine there, and you’d still need to maintain the same level of product and service at a new place too. Do you have any more information?”
“I was hoping that you could help me with contracts and stuff.”
“Business can get tricky with friends.”
“I want to be up front and clear about everything. He knows all there is to know about the café. There are no secrets.”
Ian nods and straightens up. “That’s good.”
“Can the three of us meet this weekend to get started?”
“Sure, but everything will be informal at this point.”
“I figured. But you’ll help me?”
“Of course.”
“I want everything finalized by the end of this month.”
He nods and a long pause sits between us. I lift my eyebrows at him. “What happened with Tyler?”
I sigh and blow out a big breath, slumping lower in my rocker.
“I was just going through the motions with him. He’s going for a promotion, he wants to buy a house, he asked me about living with him, and it felt like he was making decisions for me.
So we ended things. Now he’s met someone else anyway. ”
“How am I so out of the loop?”
“Because you never come down here.”
“Is Gage a summer rebound for you?”
I tap the arms of my chair. “I don’t know. He’s leaving soon, but we’re also friends. I said I wasn’t looking for anything after the break-up, but he stuck around anyway.”
“Well you can always call me.”
“And you’ll answer?”
He narrows his eyes at me as footsteps approach. Andi pops around the corner and shouts back to the kitchen, “She’s here! Let’s eat!”
Dinner is delicious as usual and it’s like a hug having us all together at my grandparents’ house again.
I didn’t realize how much I needed this.
It also makes me feel a little sad for Gage that his family is so far apart from one another.
Night falls and we watch the fireworks show together on the porch.
I text him a picture of our view. He hearts it, and sends me a short video of the Port City show up close. They did it up this year.
Ian leaves just after the show at ten even though Mimi wants him to stay. He hugs her and says, it’s only a forty-five-minute drive home and that he’ll visit again soon. My grandparents go off to bed and I’m left with the girls on the porch.
They start right in with twenty questions about last night. As soon as they're out of earshot, Andi begins. “Did he stay?”
“Yeah, what happened?” Sam asks.
Andi nudges me, lifting her eyebrows. “Is he big? How many orgasms did you have?”
I cross my arms over my chest, a mix of emotions swirling inside.
Now that our feelings are out in the open, I’m slightly nervous about being with someone new.
I don’t want to lose myself again. But I don’t want to miss out on the chance to be with Gage.
“We only kissed, and he said he cared too much about me and our friendship to be with me if I had been drinking.”
Sam gives me a soft smile. “That means he really cares about you and he was being a gentleman.”
* * *
After work on Monday, I have a little me time to go shopping in Port City at Bliss Boutique.
Hopefully I can find a new outfit, maybe some lingerie and a bathing suit.
Despite my disappointment at getting shut down, he’s not avoiding me.
I’ve been getting texts and we did FaceTime last night when I came back from Mimi and Pop’s house.
Though, I could hardly stay awake and I needed to be up at four this morning.
Even then, I fell asleep replaying that steamy kiss on my doorstep.
The staff at Bliss is super helpful. An older, impeccably dressed salesperson, Vera, makes it her mission to revamp my style. She collects an armful of items and sends me to the dressing room. First, she searches out date night outfits, casual clothes, lingerie, and bathing suits.
Vera gets me out of my comfort zone and I try on a bunch of string bikinis.
I decide on a purple two-piece with a tie in front triangle top and a matching thong bottom.
Staring at myself in the mirror, I imagine Gage’s eyes on my body and I blush thinking about his reaction.
I spin around one more time wondering if I’ll dare to bend over tomorrow.
I pick up a white beach-cover up to go with my suit and leave the store loaded with shopping bags. When I get home I lay everything out on my bed and send some pics to Andi and Sam.
Andi: You’ll be a hot mama in that bikini.
Sam: He won’t be able to resist you. But make sure to wear sunscreen. You don’t want to burn your ass.
Andi: That wouldn’t work if you want him to spank you.
Me: I’m going to be nervous wearing it. It only covers my nipples and my crotch. Everything else is out on display. My boob could totally pop out.
Andi: Exciting!
Sam: Make sure you sit away from kids.
Andi: I want pics of you on the beach or it didn’t happen.