Page 30 of Sweet Summertide

“You did this, didn’t you?” Holly asked Millie with no reply. “Millie?”

In the reflection of the window, she could make out the forms of people moving about. As one came closer, she knew it wasn’t Millie.

“Beautiful view,” Teddy said from behind her and caused her to spin around. Her defenses engaged at the sound of his voice. He handed her a champagne flute. “Leo asked me to give this to the pretty woman in the office. I suppose he was directing me to you.”

She sipped the fizzy Prosecco to buy herself some time while she decided how to react to him. She grinned behind her glass and wondered if Millie’s earlier warning to her was too late. There was a chance she had already ruined whatever relationship she could have had with Teddy. She wished she could dislike him, but she didn’t. Her brain wanted to focus on the business, but her heart wanted to be wrapped in his arms.

He tilted his head. “You look really pretty tonight,” Teddy said and took a drink.

They were far beyond small talk at this point in their relationship which made this interaction feel like sandpaper in her mind. “Thank you. You clean up nicely too.” He wore a light blue suit with a white button-down underneath. The top three buttons were left undone, and she spied a hint of chest hair peeking out. Like the garden pathway outside, it beckoned her to explore deeper. The shadow created by his open shirt captivated her imagination.

“What are you looking at?” he said and stole her attention back to his face.

She was looking at how gorgeous he was, but she couldn’t say that. He wore his hair loose and smooth making the length appear longer than it had the prior time he had it down at the police station. His dark locks begged to be touched, not just admired. “I—I was just thinking about how much I like the garden outside.” She sipped her drink.

Teddy pushed her drink down from her mouth. “Why do you do that?”

“What?” she said and knitted her brows like she was confused when in reality, she didn’t want to admit to something unnecessarily.

“Deflect from anything real. You were lost in thought imagining what I look like without my shirt on. Admit it.”

She shoved the glass into his chest forcing him to take possession of it. “I was not.” He captured her hand along with the glass against his body. His dark pools took her captive. She was helpless to look anywhere else and heat climbed her neck. “Teddy,” she whispered and swallowed hard.

“I like how you say my name,” he said and kissed her cheek. “And despite how vexing you are, I can’t shake this feeling.”

Her eyes shut and she breathed him in. Cocoa and cedar filled her head and was more intoxicating than the Prosecco could ever be.

“I see you found her.” Leo came in and saved her from the embarrassment of letting her defenses down any more than she already had.

Teddy’s body blocked her from Leo, and he stepped back a few inches, waiting for her to reset her posture and facial expression. Wanton desire gave way to rehearsed manners. Teddy turned to face Leo, standing in the doorway. A few seconds was all it took for them both to go back to pretending.

“She’s as beautiful as you alleged,” Teddy said.

Leo ran his hands through his blond waves. “I told ya’ you’d like each other.”

“Actually, Leo …” Holly stood aside creating a sort of conversation triangle. “I’m sorry for misleading you slightly, but Teddy and I already know each other. I didn’t mean to misrepresent anything to you. I was just keeping things professional.”

“I understand. Everyone knows everyone in a small town. I should have assumed you two would know each other too. Here I was thinking I finally got the chance to introduce some new folks.”

“Is that so,” Holly said. “Millie said you know very well about Teddy and me.”

Leo bit his lips inside and nodded slowly like a kid caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar. “Guilty.” He chuckled in his throat.

“In any case, if you’re looking to introduce me to someone new, I’m sure there’s folks I don’t know yet.”

“Have you met Pa, Carol’s husband?” Leo asked. “He’s the man in town that gets stuff done. If you ever need anything, he’s the guy to call on.”

“Not yet, but he sounds like someone I should get to know.”Now that I don’t have my parents to fall back on, she thought.

“He’s great,” Teddy said.

“Well, I look forward to the introduction,” Holly said.

“I’ll leave you to it.” Leo smiled and left, greeting another guest entering the foyer behind him.

Once alone again, their soft laughter livened the space. “Wouldn’t things be so much easier if we were on the same team?” Teddy said and handed a nearly emptied glass back to her. “Don’t deflect.”

She was beginning to like the way he called her out on her bull and was tempted to drop her glass and jump into his arms. He made her feel more seen than anyone she had ever met, which is probably why she was so uncomfortable with the idea. However, the question lingered; would he feel the same once he saw the real her, the whole her; the version of herself that hid behind lipstick and ruffles. The risk was too great while she had a to-do list a mile long and ambitions to achieve. She downed the last of her drink and placed the glass on the acrylic desktop. “I can’t let you in right now. No matter how charming you are.”

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