“This room here—your calculations for the flooring, I just wanted to make sure you accounted for the change we made yesterday afternoon?” Eduardo pulled one of the drawings out and then pointed to a depiction of one of the offices in the corner, which Sam recalled they had recently resized. “I’m finalizing the report for this today, so I wanted to check that the most recent numbers represent that change.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Sam said, glancing at Eduardo’s laptop, which sat on top of a few other drawings. “I did those numbers last night, and...” He nodded as he found the correct line item on the spreadsheet open on the computer. “Yeah, it’s there, line thirty-two, right there.”
“Perfect, thanks, man! Oh, hey, we’re all going out to Rooftop for drinks tonight, maybe at ten. Jeanne says you’ve been working too late and should take a break to join us. Can you make it?”
Sam grinned but shook his head. “Thanks, man, but I’ve got a list a mile long, and I can’t leave anything hanging since—”
“Ahh, right, you’re skipping town as soon as we put this project to bed Wednesday night,” Eduardo recalled. “Ollie still doesn’t know where you’re going?”
“I think I’ve actually managed to keep the secret this time,” Sam said, still grinning. “But then again, that’s what I thought when we went to San Francisco in May. I still don’t know how he figured that out.”
“Well, if you change your mind—ten o’clock at Rooftop!” Eduardo sat in one of the chairs next to the table and pulled his laptop back in front of him.
“Thanks!” Sam gave his colleague another nod and then headed to his office to get his day started.
Ten hours later, he pushed his chair in as he stood and stretched. The rest of his team had taken off to go have drinks a couple of hours ago, and the office had been nice and quiet since. So Sam had managed to get everything else on his list done, plus a few other small things that would set his colleagues up for an easier day tomorrow. But as he glanced at his phone, he frowned at the time. Already almost midnight. And by the time he got home...
The phone buzzed in his hand, and his frown turned to a smile as he saw the notification of a text from Ollie. He opened up his messenger app and then laughed at the selfie Ollie had sent. JoJo lay sprawled out over the couch, her back legs stretched out behind her and her head resting in Ollie’s lap. Ollie’s silly grin and the glint in his eyes made Sam’s heart skip a beat.
Oliver (11:54 p.m.):Mom had to bring JoJo over to stay the night because they’re setting off fireworks at the high school. You’re gonna have to convince her to give up her spot on the couch when you get home. What’s your ETA?
Sam quickly typed out a response.
Sam (11:55 p.m.):Poor pup. She’ll be really upset when I tell her she’s in my spot. Leaving the office right now. 45 min, maybe?
He waited only a few seconds before Ollie’s next message popped up.
Oliver (11:56 p.m.):Can’t wait.
With a grin, Sam stuffed his phone into his pocket, grabbed his messenger bag, and headed out.
Chapter 7
The gentle ocean breeze softened the heat of the late afternoon as Ollie sipped a glass of wine and leaned against Sam. He sighed contentedly and looked out at the view. The San Juan Channel stretched out in front of them, the small waves dancing with reflections from the sunlight. Only a few wisps of clouds dotted the sky.
“It’s incredible,” Ollie said, closing his eyes for a moment and just listening. He could hear the sound of the waves lapping gently against the rocky shoreline below them and the chirp of birds in the trees. It was quiet, peaceful, relaxing. Exactly what they both needed.
“I’m so happy to be here with you, love.” Sam’s arm tightened around his shoulders, and Ollie let out another sigh.
They’d arrived about an hour ago, after a short ferry ride from Anacortes. The waterfront rental home situated just outside the hustle and bustle of the touristy part of Friday Harbor was nestled amongst the trees—tall pines towering up high over the two-story home—and had a large deck facing east, toward neighboring Shaw Island. After getting their bags unpacked from Sam’s car, they’d settled on the patio sofa with glasses of wine, and they’d been sitting and watching the boats and ferries in the channel in relative silence, just enjoying each other’s company.
Sam’s hand caressed lightly up and down Ollie’s arm, and Ollie felt a gentle kiss on the top of his head. “So, you saw I got the groceries delivered before we arrived.” Sam paused to press another kiss into Ollie’s hair. “I was planning to cook for you tonight. Chicken marsala and roasted potatoes and asparagus.”
“That sounds perfect,” Ollie said. He finished the last sip of wine from his glass, then leaned over and set the glass downon the edge of the firepit table in front of them before settling back in Sam’s embrace. He let his hand rest on Sam’s stomach, and he closed his eyes again.
“Good. Good, and then, um, tomorrow . . .”
Ollie sat up slightly as Sam’s voice trailed off, and he smiled up at Sam, who reached over and lightly brushed Ollie’s hair back off his forehead.
“What’s tomorrow?”
“I... have plans,” Sam admitted, and Ollie grinned again as he saw Sam’s cheeks turn pink.
“Plans?”
Sam nodded and then leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Ollie’s lips. Ollie closed his eyes and deepened the kiss briefly before pulling away.
“Breakfast in bed... Then, there’s a farmers’ market where, um... that photographer you like—you know, the one who does those incredible landscape pieces?—he’s going to have a booth there, and...”
