“That’s all?” I said evenly. “Maybe I’ll hire a Margot lookalike to get the job done.”
He leaned back, still smiling, and replied, “I’ll only take the real thing.”
Before either of us could say more, Serena announced she had to call Jesse about the venue and wandered off toward the docks, phone in hand.
And suddenly it was just us and my thundering pulse.
The silence fell across the table in surprisingly heavy swathes. Not awkward, exactly—just… toodense. Full of a thousand unspoken truths that I had no desire to confront.
“So,” he drawled, “How long are you planning on staying?”
“I don’t know.”
The response tasted foul on my tongue, but pretending about it had no use anymore. Teddy would inevitably see right through me, anyway.
He smiled faintly. “You still writing?”
“Old habits die hard.”
Teddy nodded, tapping his thumb against his water glass. “I had no idea you’d be here when I came back.”
“Neither did I,” I muttered flatly.
That earned a soft chuckle. “Bluebell Cove has that effect, huh?”
“Like the tractor beam of a UFO,” I said.
He looked out at the water. “You ever think about what it’d be like if we hadn’t left?”
I hesitated. “All the time.”
Teddy turned toward me, and for a second, the years between us dissolved. We were seventeen again, standing on the beach watching each other through the flames of a bonfire while my heart tried to climb out of my chest.
Then Serena reappeared, grinning. “Okay, crisis averted. Jesse’s fine with the beach after all!”
I blinked, clearing my throat. “That’s… great.”
Was it too late for a groom change as well?
“Right?” she said, sliding back into her chair. “He actually said, and I quote, ‘Whatever makes you happy.’”
“So, the bare minimum,” I wanted to say.
“Progress,” Teddy replied.
“Exactly.” Serena beamed. “So, maybe you two were right.”
Teddy raised his glass. “To difficult conversations.”
My chest tightened as he met my eyes, the trademark easy smile slipping from his mouth.
She clinked his. “And to old friends.”
We lingered after lunch, watching the boats drift by until the sky was streaked by shades of watercolor. Serena had to meet Jesse’s parents for dinner in Port Camden, so Teddy insisted on sharing a taxi with me.
The car ride was quiet. Not the comfortable kind.
When we pulled up in front of the diner, we both hopped out of the car and thanked the driver. I turned as he drove away. “Thanks for coming with me.”
