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The sound of seagulls and crashing waves grows louder, and Lily inhales the scent of seaweed and salt. Her smile makes my heart stutter, and I wonder if what I said earlier is true.
No strings attached? One meal? Would I really be satisfied with so little?
Of course I will be. I wasn’t lying when I said I only do casual. Lily is no different.
We make it to the restaurant and get a seat on the patio. A gentle breeze sweeps over us as I pull out Iliana’s chair, admiring the curve of her neck and the grace with which she moves to sit. She smooths her dress over her stomach and sides, then gives me a shy smile as I move to sit across from her. That damn strap slides off her shoulder again, and she scoops it back into place.
When she refuses wine and asks for water instead, I follow her lead. The sun is starting to set and the sky is slowly transforming into a tapestry of colors. We both look out over the waves in comfortable silence until Lily turns back to me.
“So what do you do when you’re not in the store?”
“How do you know I ever leave?” I grin. “Maybe this is the first time I’ve been out in weeks.”
“Just a bookstore goblin, huh?” Her eyes twinkle.
“Someone has to change the lightbulbs.”
Lily laughs and leans back in her chair. “Seriously. You told me you’re only there a couple of times a week. What do you do with the rest of your time?”
“I run a real estate brokerage. Got my realtor license right out of high school because I felt like I needed time to figure out what I wanted to do before committing to college. I was good at it, so I eventually got my brokerage license and started hiring other realtors to work for me. Sixteen years later, and I’m still wondering what I should major in,” I say, happy when Lily laughs. I hold up my hand. “I know, I know. Hold onto your seat. I live a dangerous life.”
Another laugh slips through Lily’s lips and she tries to tamp it down, as if she feels like she’s not supposed to be enjoying herself. “Well, I’m an accountant, so I think I’ve got you beat in the living-life-on-the-edge department.”
My eyebrows arch. “An accountant?”
“So surprised?”
I shrug, glancing down at my menu after studying Lily’s face for a moment. The fine-boned features, full lips, bright eyes. “You don’t look like an accountant, is all.”
Lily snorts, her own eyes dropping to her menu. “I’m not sure what that means, exactly, but it’s not the first time I’ve heard it.”
“I meant it as a good thing,” I amend, scrambling to think of something better to say. I just meant that she’s beautiful and funny and charismatic. Not someone I’d imagine sitting in front of spreadsheets and tax forms all day.
“For someone who works in sales, you’re doing a good job of sticking your foot in your mouth.” Lily’s eyes glimmer as she meets my gaze.
The waiter interrupts us to take our order. Conversation moves on to more neutral topics—the best coffee in Heart’s Cove (from her sister’s café, naturally), Jen and Fallon’s recent television appearance (hilarious and heartwarming), Katrina’s scandalous love affair. I love making Lily laugh, and she teases me about the fact that I’ve flirted with half her friends. It doesn’t seem to bother her, which is more of a relief than I like to admit.
When our food arrives, I wait for Lily to take a bite of her fish, and smile when she nods appreciatively.
“Passed the test?” I ask.
She grins, dunking a chunk of battered and fried cod in tartar sauce. “It’s decent.”
“It’s delicious, is what it is.”
Lily laughs and crunches on another bite, and I realize I’m enjoying this. I’ve been on a lot of dates—a lot of first dates, mostly—and none of them have felt this easy. I’ve rarely wanted to know more, but with Lily, I find myself asking question after question. I want to know what’s the best fish and chips she’s ever tasted. I want to know her favorite memory, her favorite trip, her favorite country. I want to know why she took off and decided to travel the world while both her sisters seem to have chosen a different path. I want to know why she came back.
But when I ask that question, Lily’s spine stiffens. She keeps her eyes on the last few French fries sitting on her plate. The easy laugher and conversation from a moment ago is trickling away like sand through my fingers.
As the sun touches the horizon, Lily glances at the glittering ocean—
And a man walks up to our table.
“Well, if it isn’t Rudy Dorset,” Jared Spark says with a cocky smile. My cousin has his arm around a younger woman’s shoulders, her own arm slung around his waist. “Another first date, huh?”
Lily arches a brow at him, then at me.
I give my cousin a flat stare. “Nice to see you, Jared.”
