Page 62 of Share with Me

But it’s lunchtime. Everyone has to eat.

Ivan kept telling himself it wasn’t a date. Not. A. Date. Still…

What’s happening, Lord?

Ivan prayed quickly for relief.

The fisherman sweater felt soft in his hands as he rounded his arms around Brinley’s waist and gathered her toward him. He didn’t hesitate this time, and Brinley closed her eyes when their lips touched, gently and tentatively at first, then deepening and yet with guarded ardor.

What am I doing?

Ivan’s eyelids blinked when those same tourists who went crazy over the whales now snapped their cameras incessantly at them, all the while chattering in rapid Korean.

“Kiss her again,” one of them said.

Brinley buried her face into Ivan’s barn jacket. “Help.”

She felt nice and warm against his chest. But…

What in the world overcame me?

“Guess we’d better get out of here,” Ivan said, pushing through the crowd toward shore. In minutes they were off the pier and walking along the shoreline past the public library and Neptune Park and its live oak trees.

“At least you finished what you started.”

Brinley’s voice was quiet, but Ivan heard her as they passed children playing among the oaks. In his heart, he didn’t agree with her.

Some things should never be started at all.

He felt like Tevye inFiddler on the Roofsitting on his milk cart and having a conference with God.

Lord, was that a mistake?

What am I going to do now?

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