Page 58 of Tides and Tidings

A small smile spread across her face as a thought washed over her brain. “I’m game.”

“Yeah?”

Whether Blythe or I win this race, it’s a win-win situation. It’ll be a good time for us both. We walked towards the lamp post and we each placed a hand on it. I moved behind her, my hand still on the pole.

“You better not let me get a head start. This has to be fair.” The rain started to come down harder as Blythe looked up at me.

Tiny raindrops hung from her lashes. She never leaves the house without mascara because she “looks dead without it”—her words, not mine. In my opinion? She looks better without it.

“It’s going to be completely fair.” I had a plan. “On the count of three?”

There was a loud clap of thunder.

She nodded. “One.”

“Two.” I challenged.

Blythe

“Three.” I moved my hand from the lamp post and was scooped up. I relaxed into his arms. “What are you doing?”

“We’re a team, right?” His face was close to mine, and his eyes bore into my soul.

I nodded.

“Then we win together.” He looked down at my feet. “I was also not about to have you walk barefoot.”

“That’s very gentlemanly of you.” I rested my head on his shoulder, hiding a small yawn. It was almost one-thirty in the morning, and my mind was still alive while I was exhausted.

“Don’t tell me you’re tired already,” Charlie muttered, carrying me the two blocks back to our hotel.

“Already?” I looked at him, “Are you kidding? If we were home, we would be asleep on the couch.”

“You would be asleep on the couch.” He corrected.

“I—well,” I didn’t have a rebuttal for that. I have always been able to fall asleep quickly—no matter where I am. I’m a goner within ten minutes if I have my cozy purple blanket.

“See! You’re not denying it.”

Charlie stopped at the hotel entrance, under the awning, and gently placed me down. This was the first time my eyeballs had to adjust to bright lights again, and my retinas felt like they were being seared like tuna steaks.

His eyelids were heavy and his southern drawl was thicker. “I think you’ve got it from here.”

“What do I owe you for the ride?” I flirted as we strode into the building hand-in-hand. For being as late as it was, a surprising number of people were out and about in the lobby.

“No charge for you, ma’am,” he flirted back.

“Do you accept tips then?”

A grin spread across his face, “Do you?”

Oh, so that’s how we were going to play. My brain didn’t even go down the sexual route. I thought we were just having a cute conversation.

Game on.

I nonchalantly let go of his hand and walked ahead towards the elevator.

“I prefer the whole thing,” I called over my shoulder.