Page 51 of Sweet Summertide

“So, you’re saying you want me?” he smirked, his teeth glinting off the ambient light of the solar lanterns lining the path.

“Really?” she giggled. “That’s what you got from all that? You’re such a boy.”

He let that one slide and stepped down one below her. “Where did you want to take me?”

She smiled knowing what she had planned. What he had almost missed out on. She led him to the boat tied up on the side of the dock. He got into the small wooden rowboat first and helped her in next. Sitting across from him, the sliver of moon reflected little ripples of light around the water’s surface. Teddy untied the rope and took the oars.

“Where to?”

“Our spot,” she said and grinned.

Teddy rowed the short distance towards the secluded little section surrounded by low trees and wild bushes. The water was still, but for the tiny waves caused by the oars and the rocking of the boat. He propped an oar against the shallow lakebed like an anchor and the boat came to a stop.

From behind her, she pulled out a small soft-sided cooler. She had almost gone with a basket, but since they were now an hour late for the date, she was glad she had no other choice. She handed him a spoon and a cloth napkin for his lap and put one over her own legs. Shaking the cold melted ice from the glass container, Holly popped off the plastic lid and presented the contents to Teddy.

“What’s this?” he said and dipped his spoon in.

“I wanted to show you what I’m so passionate about, since you’ve shared your gift with me. I figured it was time for you to experience mine.” She dipped her spoon in and took a large scoop of ice cream.

“Poison?”

“Just try it.” The ice cream hit her tongue. She savored the cool refreshing flavor, but she kept an eye on Teddy’s face. “See. Not poison.”

He brought the spoonful to his lips before putting the ice cream in his mouth. She hadn’t told him the variety, because she wanted him to experience it without bias. He moaned at the flavor warming against his tongue, and she bit her lip as the anticipation subsided.

“I knew you would like it.”

He finished his bite and took another. “Spiced mandarin with dark chocolate shavings?”

“I was hoping I could feature a local chocolate in the next batch though. Do you know anyone around here I could use?” she baited him.

“I might know someone.” He took another bite. “This is spectacular. I get the smooth creaminess with a bite from the cinnamon, and is that cayenne, too?”

“Just enough for a kick.”

“I like it,” he said and licked his upper lip from corner to corner. She was sure he was thinking about biting something other than the ice cream.

They both dipped back into the rapidly thawing ice cream and their spoons clinked together causing them to laugh. They savored what was likely the last bite before the contents would need to be sipped instead of scooped. Holly put her spoon in the half-empty glassware and Teddy copied her example.

An uncomfortable tension fell on them. She couldn’t think of a time when there was an a more awkward silence. Maybe it was because there were plenty of unsaid things thickening the atmosphere between them. She didn’t want to speak and blurt out something else embarrassing, so she cleared her throat.

“Thank you for sharing this with me. Now I feel bad for making you work so hard to get me out here.”

At that, she whacked him good. “You mean, you were teasing me, and you were always planning to meet me tonight?”

“To be honest, I wasn’t sure about anything until …”

“Until what, Teddy,” she said in a soft tone.

“You told me about how you’ve changed, and I know what you mean, because I’ve changed too. I realized that all those people who I felt like I had to have in my corner were all there for a purpose. They pushed me. You pushed me. But I also know that some of those people just aren’t going where I’m going.”

“Like my mother. Without all of her manipulation and interfering, I don’t know if I couldn’t have reached the point where I know exactly what I want and what I deserve. I also know how hard I’ll work for it.”

“How viciously you’ll fight to keep what’s yours?”

“Precisely. I’m only sorry I had to be so awful to you to see it for myself.”

“Oh, honey, I’m not,” Teddy said and brushed her lips with the back of his finger. “I’ve enjoyed every second seeing you become this woman. My woman.”

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