Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
Lydia sat across from Ty at a picnic table in the dive of a restaurant ten miles north of Shoalmans Bay.
The clouds hung low, threatening rain as the strong winds blew in off the water, tossing loose napkins around on the screened-in porch where several diners enjoyed an evening meal while music blasted through overhead speakers.
“These are great,” he said as he picked up another fried clam belly, looking gorgeous in a white button-down that he wore with black shorts.
She nodded as she smiled, dressed up as well in a pretty green sleeveless sundress that accentuated her eyes.
“I know fried clams and French fries aren’t exactly classy or fancy, but you had to try these at least once while we’re here.
I wouldn’t be doing my job as your tour guide if we didn’t stop in. ”
He shrugged as he grabbed her hand, bringing her knuckles to his lips. “I meant it when I said that I didn’t care where we went. All I want is to be with you.”
And just like last night, his words melted her heart. “That’s really sweet, Ty.”
“It’s absolutely true.”
She smiled as she plucked up one of the crispy fries. “Thanks for being okay with us running just a couple of minutes late so I could help Mac with her hair.”
He grabbed a clam strip now. “Of course. Tonight’s her big night.”
Lydia grinned, remembering Mac’s stunning, curve-hugging blue dress. “She looked so amazing.”
Ty nodded. “Yes, she did. Will won’t know what hit him.”
She laughed. “I know, and it’s great.”
“He may or may not have told me that he was renting a room and filling it with flowers.”
She paused as she reached for a clam belly. “Really?”
He nodded.
Her grin was back. “Now I’m hoping that they miss their dinner reservation.”
Ty waggled his brow. “You’ll have to get a report in the morning.”
“You can count on it.” She grabbed the clam. “So, do you think we could do something like that? Go away for a weekend?”
“What do you have in mind?”
“I don’t know,” she said with a shrug. “Maybe we could go to an inn up in the New Hampshire mountains or somewhere up in Maine.”
He winced. “I’m not sure how I would justify that to Danny or Nick.”
She nodded, surprised that it was so easy to forget that so much of their lives were dictated by his job. Because when it was just the two of them, she sometimes forgot that it wasn’t just the two of them. “That makes sense.”
He reached for her hand again with regret in his eyes. “We can try to figure something out.”
She shook her head. “That’s okay.”
He played with her fingers. “I want to, Lyd. I’d like nothing more than to take you away for a weekend.”
She shrugged. “I guess we’ll see.”
His phone started to ring. “I’m sorry, but I have to check this.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
He grabbed the phone off the table and winced again. “It’s my mom.”
“Go ahead and answer it.”
He shook his head. “I’ll call her back tomorrow.”
“Talk to your mom, Ty.”
He sighed as he swiped his thumb right and put the phone up to his ear. “Hey, Mom.” He smiled as he winked across the table. “Yeah, I’m with Lydia.” Then he frowned. “Hello?”
Lydia frowned now. “What’s wrong?”
“She hung up.”
“Oh.”
His phone started to ring again, but this time they heard the unmistakable ringtone of a FaceTime call.
Lydia laughed as he swore.
He answered, holding up the phone. “Hey, Mom.”
“Hi, honey. Where’s Lydia?”
Lydia got up and moved to the other side of the table, grinning at Ty’s beautiful mom. “Hi, Bina.”
Bina grinned back. “Hi, honey. Don’t you two look so gorgeous together.”
“We’re on a date,” Ty said.
Bina beamed again. “That’s wonderful. Where are you?”
“We’re up in Massachusetts, vacationing for a couple of weeks.”
Bina’s eyes grew wide as her hand moved to her heart. “You’re—you’re taking a vacation?”
Ty nodded. “I am.”
“You never take vacations.”
He shrugged. “I guess I’m a changed man.”
“Oh, honey, I’m so thrilled that you’re allowing yourself to have a little fun. Lydia, whatever it is that you’re saying or doing, you keep it up. I like this version of my son. I can see the happiness in his eyes.”
“We’re having a great time playing tourist,” Lydia added, knowing that poor Bina didn’t understand that Ty was just doing his job.
“Well, you two get back to your date. I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing.”
“We’re doing really well,” Lydia said.
“Thanks for calling, Mom.”
“I love you, Tyler.”
“I love you, too.”
And then Bina was gone.
Lydia sighed with the rush of guilt. “I feel so bad, Ty. She thinks that this is real—that you have feelings for me.”
“It is real, and I do have feelings for you.”
She shook her head. “You know what I mean.”
He captured her chin between his fingers as he stared into her eyes. “I do have feelings for you, Lyd.”
She sighed again. Because she certainly had them for him, too. She just had no idea what to do with them.
“Hey,” he said quietly as he pressed his lips to hers. “We’re having fun tonight.”
She nodded as she closed her eyes when his mouth came back to hers for a longer kiss.
He kissed her forehead next. “Eat dinner with me. Then dance with me to this crappy music.”
She laughed as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug.
He hugged her back, holding on tight. “I think we need a picture of our first official date.”
She nodded.
He picked up his phone, framing them in the shot.
She turned her head, kissing his cheek as he snapped the picture.
They both looked at it.
“Not bad,” he said. “But I think we can do better.” He pulled her mouth to his with his hand against the back of her neck, taking another picture.
They both looked at it again.
She snagged her lip with her teeth, seeing a couple that had long since stopped pretending that they weren’t together. “I like this one.”
He nodded as he sent the images to her in a text. “We’ve come a long way from you looking like I’m holding you against your will.”
She laughed as he grinned.
“Let’s get back to our night, Lyd. To us being us.”
She nodded as she snatched up another clam strip. “But I think I’m going to sit right here.”
He hooked his arm around her waist. “I think you should.”
Ty slowed in the light traffic half a mile from the compound as he and Lydia drove with the windows down. The wind blew in through the cabin, tossing her hair around, sending her flower and vanilla scent his way.
He glanced in her direction, loving everything about their night so far. As first official dates went, he couldn’t complain. Dinner had been simple and excellent, and the dancing just as good despite the shitty music.
She winced as she looked at the dark clouds through the windshield. “I don’t think we’ll be walking on the beach tonight.”
He shook his head, noting that the front kept moving closer. “It’s definitely not looking good.”
She shrugged. “I guess we’ll have to find something else to do.”
He smiled as he turned onto the Monroes’ long driveway. “I’m sure we’ll think of something.”
She chuckled as he pulled up to their usual spot, both of them rolling up the windows before he killed the engine.
He glanced toward the ominous clouds again as thunder rumbled far in the distance. “Let’s get inside before we get soaked.”
She nodded, getting out as he did.
He snagged her hand as they walked along the path to the pool house just as another gust of wind rushed in off the water, blowing her hair and pretty dress around.
She tucked her silky locks behind her ear, trying to tame them, but it was no use. “I think we’re in for quite a storm.”
He nodded. “I like a good storm.”
She smiled. “Me, too.”
He stopped her outside the door before she could punch in the code. “Hold up.”
She met his gaze. “What’s up?”
He shrugged, forever captivated by her big hazel eyes. “Nothing. I just wanted to tell you that I had a great time.”
Her smile was back. “Me, too.”
He settled his hands on her hips, pulling her closer. “I like you and me, Lyd.”
She grinned as she nodded. “I can say without a doubt that this has been my most favorite summer in Massachusetts.”
He raised his brow. “Is that so?”
She nodded as she locked her arms around the back of his neck. “I figure that it must have something to do with my unexpected guest since everything else is pretty much the same.”
“That sounds like some pretty sound logic,” he said as he moved his hands up and down the soft skin of her naked back.
“Mm-hmm,” she said as she nodded again.
“I wish we could’ve ended our evening like this after our first date in Oliver Heights.”
“I didn’t like you after our first date in Oliver Heights.”
He grinned. “You’ve got me there.”
She laughed as he chuckled.
Then her smile faded. “But I like you now, Ty. Very much.”
“That’s good,” he whispered as he captured her mouth—as he deepened the kiss by degrees, holding her the way that he would have from the very beginning if they had met under different circumstances.
She made a sound in her throat as she stood on her tiptoes, sliding her tongue against his.
He dove deep once more before he rested his forehead against hers. “Let’s go upstairs.”
She nodded, punching in the code, taking his hand as they made their way to the bedroom. “I should probably close these,” she said as she let him go to turn on the dim light on the dresser, then headed for the curtains as she kicked off her sandals.
“It’s not a bad idea if we’re not interested in putting on a show.” As he said so, he toed off his shoes and started to unbutton his shirt.
She came back moments later, already pulling on the tie at the back of her neck, sending her dress cascading to the floor. She went after her strapless bra next, tossing it away.
He pulled her against him. “You’re supposed to let me do that.”
She took care of his last two buttons, taking off his shirt. “I was going to let you do other things to me.”
He puffed out a breath. “I don’t hate it when you talk like that.”
She laughed before she went after the snap on his shorts. “I really want you, Ty.”
He kissed her, sending her panties to join their other clothes on the rug, eager to give her exactly what she wanted.