He would’ve sworn he floated to his car and all the way back to the rental. Somehow, he managed to get his head clear long enough to shower off the beach and check on his job search.
In a perfect world, he would find a remote position, though the reputable options weren’t as prevalent as they’d once been.Still, with his reputation, he could be choosy. And it was more important than ever to find something that allowed him to stay as close to Scarlett and Cora as possible.
A college in Iowa was interested in having him for the summer, in residence. He politely declined. Another university in Ohio had changed their offer from requiring him on-campus full-time to a half and half option. He appreciated the willingness to compromise. And the offer was tempting, but he couldn’t accept it before speaking to Scarlett. Maybe it would be a good way to work his way into full time co-parenting.
The timer on Cooper’s phone sounded and he closed his laptop to change clothes. He’d swing by Island Bloomers, the flower shop on Central Avenue, to pick up his order on his way to the ferry.
He had a moment’s panic when she wasn’t waiting at the ferry dock, then he spotted her near the rail and he could breathe again. On board, he joined her, handing over the fresh bundle of daisies and tulips. According to Nina, the shop owner, the soft pastel blooms were just the right blend of romance and cheerfulness.
“Cooper.” Scarlett’s face softened as she admired the bouquet. “This is very thoughtful.”
“You’re welcome.” He draped his arm over her shoulder for a quick, half hug. “I’m glad we’re doing this.”
She nodded. “Me too.”
The transition from the casual, sandy ease of Brookwell to the refined, historic elegance of Charleston felt like slipping through a portal. As the ferry cut through the dark water of the harbor, the lights of the Holy City began to twinkle like fallen stars against the twilight.
They stood together at the railing where the wind caught his blazer and swept her skirt against his legs. He’d swappedhis beach gear for a crisp linen shirt, dark trousers. “You’re breathtaking this evening,” he said.
“And you’re pouring on the charm.”
“It’s only the truth,” he countered.
Or most of it. She stole his breath every time he looked her way, but he managed to keep that to himself. He really didn’t want to push so hard that she shut him out before he had a chance to show her how great life could be as a family.
She’d changed into a plum-colored wrap dress that hugged her curves in all the right places, her blonde hair gathered up in a twist against the breeze. “Do you remember that disastrous dinner cruise?”
He laughed. “Yes. I don’t even know why they sold us the tickets.” The bulk of the cruise had been booked for a family reunion with a vow renewal ceremony. He and Scarlett had been the only couple not related to the primary party.
“It was definitely a dinner and a show.” She sputtered and snorted and then gave in to the laughter. “That cousin fight was something else.”
Overturned tables, shattered dishes, tossed drinks and an epic mashed potato fight, it had felt as if they’d stepped onto a movie set. But it had been real. He and Scarlett had taken shelter in the kitchen with the staff not tasked with breaking it up. “My favorite is still the monologue about why the couple shouldn’t have been married the first time.”
“Not the brownie decadence the pastry chef served us in the kitchen?”
He pulled her closer to his side, breathing in the irresistible blend of the flowers and her softly scented skin. “That was perfection.”
“I loved our summer,” she murmured, her body softening against his. “The discovery was a thrill.” She turned her face upto his, her eyes sparkling with humor. “You even more than the math.”
He chuckled, that was high praise from a student with her sky-high passion for learning. “And now?”
She sighed. “Now I realize the most important things can’t be proven on paper,” she said. “They just have to be felt.”
“Beautiful and brilliant.” He felt her stiffen up. “Not flattery, Scarlett. Just my opinion from pretty much the day we met. I’m so glad to have this time with you and Cora.”
“You’re not mad anymore?”
“No,” he said with full confidence. He’d shifted into solution mode and had no intention of looking back. He was focused on the future, on painting a picture she could see clearly. One that included him as an integral part of their daily life.
The ferry stop was only a few blocks from the small restaurant on East Bay Street where he’d made reservations. He held her hand as they walked, guiding them into the brick-paved courtyard redolent with night jasmine and expensive wine. The hostess seated them at a quiet corner table where the soft lighting and the candle flickering at the table made him feel as if they were alone.
Over drinks and a charcuterie appetizer, they talked about the years between them. He told her about pouring himself into outdoor adventures, especially surfing, to fill the void of being dissatisfied by the dream job. Through self-deprecating laughter, she confessed to the overwhelm and terror of being a single mother and the quiet joy of finding a good job and home in Brookwell.
The power dynamic they’d overcome once—professor and student—was gone, replaced by a fresh and raw adult honesty. He saw her now as his absolute equal, perhaps even his superior in the ways that mattered most. She had raised a human being;he had merely published a few papers only a select group of people would understand.
After dinner, they walked along the Battery, enjoying that lovely space between the darkness of the harbor and the precisely lit mansions of Charleston on the other side of the park. The air was cool, the salt spray misting their faces.
“I spent that whole summer wondering what you were thinking,” Cooper said, drawing her down beside him on a bench that overlooked the water. “Why you wouldn’t reply. I should’ve followed my gut and come back. I was a fool, Scarlett.”
