Page 71 of Summer Tease
All I can do is nod.
His eyes search mine, and some of the humor seeps away. “I’m gonna miss you, Gemma.”
I have no response. If he kissed me right now, I would let him.
But he doesn’t. He lets me go and steps back.
And suddenly, he’s doing the dishes. Water off the back. “Areyou really going to make me go through all those videos and pictures of myself?”
Better you than me. I let out a slow breath in an attempt to lower my heartrate, then walk around the island and sit on a barstool. It’s a much safer distance. “What’s the other option?”
He shrugs. “I was hoping you might be able to help me with putting it together. It feels…weird to make a presentation about myself.”
“But…I’m leaving,” I say. “And then I’ll be busy catching up with work.”And trying not to think about you.
“Right. Okay, then. Send me the folder. Maybe I’ll get Tristan to go through them.”
I narrow my eyes. “You really don’t want to go through them, do you?”
“I’d rather hang out with your frat boy neighbors for a week.”
“Whoa. That seems extreme. But okay. Well…”
“Don’t worry about it,” he says. “I’ll put on my big-boy pants and get it done.”
I nod, but part of me feels I’m leaving too many loose ends in Sunset Harbor. The house stuff isn’t squared away, Grams’s knee and hip are still an issue—not to mention her future at Seaside Oasis in general—and apparently, I’m kind of leaving Beau hanging.
But I need to get back to my job. To my real life.
“I should get going,” I say.
He dries his hands on a towel. “I’ll walk you out.” Xena follows along at Beau’s heels, as if she heard the word “walk” and is so ready.
At the door, I bend down to say bye to her. Anything to delay the other goodbye. “I’ll miss you, Xena,” I say, snuggling up to her soft pillow of fur as she licks my cheek.
I stretch it out as long as possible, then get to my feet, facingBeau. His arms are folded across his chest in a way that puts his biceps on very unnecessary display.
“Thanks for your help with Grams,” I say. “I wish I could promise she won’t do anything else crazy, but?—”
“I’ve got it, Gemma,” Beau says. “I’ll take care of her.”
Those words bring a lump into my throat, so I just nod and try to will away the gathering tears. I guess I didn’t anticipate how hard it would be to leave her again. “Oh, and about last night…” My cheeks start to burn, but I forge ahead. “If you could just…not say anything to anyone…”
Beau’s brows hitch up. “You’re afraid I’m going to kiss and tell?”
“I have no idea how gossip gets around this island, but it does, okay? We both know that. I’m just trying to prevent World War III.”
“Really valiant of you. Don’t worry. I won’t tell a soul.”
I nod, but part of me wonderswhyhe won’t tell anyone. Not even Tristan? Does that mean it’s something he does on the regular—kissing women secretly?
Stop, Gemma.
“Goodnight and goodbye, Beau,” I say.
“Goodnight, Gemma.”
With a last rub for Xena, I head back to Grams’s house for my last and final sleep in my childhood home.
