Page 5 of Her Maine Squeeze

An expression crosses his face that I can’t read.Weariness? Sadness? Trepidation?Before I can figure out what it is, it’s gone. “Why don’t you go ahead and help them. I’m still considering the pickle options.”

I turn away from him, practically sprinting to help the other customers.Hopefully, they’ll want a big, complicated order, and I can avoid Oz for a bit longer. Better yet, maybe they’ll buy my entire inventory, and Oz will have no choice but to leave.

“Hi,” I say brightly. “How can I help you?”

The couple smiles at me. “We ordered a picnic lunch,” the woman says.

“You’re the Averys?”

They both nod. “That’s us,” says the man.

Smiling, I turn to pull the prepared picnic basket from the cooler. The picnic lunches were a brilliant idea.If I do say so myself. I purchased inexpensive baskets and jazzed them up with ribbon and fabric. They look high-end. Then I stuff them with sandwiches, treats, and a small jar of pickles—customer’s choice. The Averys requested garlic dill spears.

Unfortunately, the basket is already packed, and the Averys prepaid, so the transaction takes approximately thirty seconds.So much for avoiding Oz.

With a sigh, I return to his spot at the counter. “Have you decided what you want?”

He gestures to the Averys’ retreating backs. “The picnic lunch seemed awesome.”

My face lights up. “Oh, would you like a picnic lunch to go?”

He frowns slightly. “Actually, I was thinking thatwecould take one to go. It’d be nice to eat by the water and catch up. It’s been a long time.”

“I have customers,” I say quickly.

Oz smiles at me. “After you close, of course.”

“I still have the laundromat…”

“Oh. The sign says it’s self-service and open twenty-four hours. Surely, you’re not on the premises all the time?”

“Not all the time, no.”

“Just let me know when you’re free. My schedule is wide open right now.”

I bite my lip, considering. The last thing I want is to spend alone time with Oz, but what choice do I have? It’d be weird to blow him off. Not only do I have to see him at Luke and Charley’s wedding, but if he is moving back to Fog Harbor, we’llbe running into each other a lot. It’s a small town, after all. And we’re surrounded by water. There’s literally nowhere for me to run.

“Give me two hours,” I say.

“Done! I’ll come back to pick you up.” He stands to leave.

“Wait,” I call. “You haven’t told me what you want in the picnic basket.”

His face breaks into smile. “Just pick whatever your favorites are. I’m sure I’ll love them.”

Chapter Four

Never before have Ifelt like the clock was my worst enemy. But now, the minute hands are flying by, and two hours seems to be passing far too quickly. As I pack our picnic lunch, I think about the day Oz and I made our pact.

It was our senior year, one week before the prom. Luke was at hockey practice, and Oz and I were lying on the trampoline in the backyard, staring up at the clouds. It had become our ritual to hang out on the trampoline whenever Luke wasn’t around—which was fairly often during hockey season. In the dead of winter, we’d bundle up in our warmest clothes, brush the snow off the trampoline, and spend hours watching our breath turn to frost in the air. But on this particular spring day, the temperature was above average, and the sun felt marvelous on my face.

I pointed to a fluffy cumulus cloud. “That one looks kind of like the shape of Kentucky.”

“It looks more like Virginia to me,” Oz teased.

We were quiet for a long time, just enjoying the warmth of the sun on our faces, and the comfort of the trampoline serving as a hammock. Then Oz said, “Do you have a date to the prom?”

My pulse quickened, and I licked my lips. “No.”

---