“Yeah, I really didn’t know much about Georgia. I mean, I knew she liked chocolate ice cream, she ate it every night my entire life. I’m just now realizing that if she was eating it as some sort of tribute to this person, that’s tragic.” A shudder runs through me at that thought. She was pining for someone, but who? Liam doesn’t say anything in response, he just rubs my back, seeing how this thought is disturbing me.
“Do you think your mom would know?” I ask.
“I really couldn’t say, baby.” I’ll go down to the cafe next time he goes into work. I think about opening up the notebook to see if there’s more of this mystery, but Liam is in front of me now. The notebook will still be here tomorrow.
“Are you done with your calls?”
“Yup, I’m all yours for the rest of the day.”
“Perfect, what would you normally do on a Saturday? Pretend I’m not here, I don’t exist. What are you going to do for fun?” I’m still trying to get to know him. I know him, but I don't know a lot about him. He can be pretty tight-lipped when I ask him about work, and I think I’ve figured out the reason, but I’m building up the courage to ask him about it one day. Some day. So with that topic not getting me anywhere, I have to try all the other avenues.
“Well, to tell you the truth, I don’t really do anything for ‘fun.’ I don’t golf. I don’t do tennis. I’m not part of a regular poker night. I read, I watch movies. I d-do stuff with people.” I think he was just about to say “date.” I laugh at him.
“You do stuff with people or you ‘do people?’” He blushes a little bit.
“I used to do stuff with people, but now I just do you.” He does ‘do me’ now, at least twice a day. He leans in, bringing me into his side, dropping a kiss on my temple. I know I was joking, but god, I really don’t want to think about him dating another person, let alone people. There it is again, that little green-eyed monster in me.Try not to let it sour your mood, Britain.
“Oh, I also go for boat rides when the weather’s nice. It’s probably nice enough today. Want to?”Does a bear shit in the woods?
“Uh, yeah. I didn’t realize you had a boat. It makes sense, you have a dock, I just hadn’t seen it.”
“Yeah, I keep it down at the marina. Go get ready.” He pushes me to get off the couch and smacks my ass as I stand.
“Oh, I didn’t realize I wasn’t dressy enough for a boat ride.” I’m wearing his sweatshirt he lent me that first morning here and a pair of jean shorts. As long as you stay in the sun, it’s warm enough outside.
“I don’t give a fuck what you wear, Bambi, but you are going to need shoes.”
“Is that what you’re wearing?” He has on jeans and a tight gray t-shirt. His plain t-shirts are like my kryptonite. I always think about him that first night at Colton’s with gray sweatpants and a white tee. I would argue it’s his sexiest look of all.
“Yeah, and a sweatshirt probably.”
“Perfect, I’ll go get my shoes.” I shoot him a smile as I scoop up my coffee cup and notebook.
“Wait, wait, wait,” he calls out to me, “you, stay here,I’llgo get the boat and pick you up.”
“What, why? I wanna go to the marina. They’re probably selling kitschy trucker hats and t-shirts. The girls love that stuff.”
He laughs and says, “I’m just trying to paint a complete picture for you. Sit back down. I’ll be back in like half an hour, meet me down at the dock.” He gets up, giving me a kiss, as he walks back into the house.
“Okay,bye!” I call out to him once he’s nearly out of earshot, and he just laughs again.
Thirty minutes later, I’m at the dock. Sneakers and a Dodgers baseball hat on. As he pulls up, I’m trying not to shit myself. He’s driving a vintage wooden speedboat, just like the ones on my Pinterest board.
“What is this?” I ask wide-eyed.
“The total package,” he says, holding out his arms, well aware of the picture he just painted. I laugh.
“I see, I see it now. I have to admit, it’s quite appealing.”
“This is what was on your Pinterest board, wasn’t it?” he asks.
“Yup.” Almost down to the name on the back of the boat.Lucille. He holds out a hand as he helps me into the passenger seat.
“Why Lucille?”
“Sandy is a big fan ofI Love Lucy, so I thought it was fitting.” It’s true, the wood of the boat has a reddish hue and Lucille just sounds good, sounds right. We head out, making our way out of the no-wake zone.
“How long have you had Lucille for?”
