“I won’t lie,” he stands, staring at the finished tent with his hands on his hips, “I watched videos on how to set this up beforehand so I looked like I knew what I was doing.”
“So you’re not the outdoorsy broody man I was just envisioning you to be?” I chuckle.
“Unfortunately not, but Iama good actor, right?” He side eyes me.
“You deserve an Oscar with that performance,” I say and he responds with a full body bow.
The next bit of time was spent setting up the inside of the tent and unpacking what Henry brought in the truck. You’d think he purchased the whole store with the amount of snacks and sleeping bags in there.
“So,” I question him with a smirk, “is there a reason you bought three sleeping bags?”
His neck and cheeks turn the same shade of red they always do when he’s nervous, I’ve come to notice. “In case you wanted your own tent, I bought one for both of us, but in case we share the same tent, I bought one to share.” He runs his hands throughhis hair nervously. “Only if you want to, of course. We can still share the same tent and have separate sleeping—” I cut him off with a kiss.
“I love the thought you put into this.” I look into his eyes and immediately watch them soften at my words.
“I really like you, Maisie.” He toys with the end of my hair. “If all we have is the present, then I want you to take up every second of my time right now.”
I don’t say anything, afraid I’ll choke on my own words. Instead I press another kiss to his mouth.
“What areyour plans after you guys finish renovations on the Inn?” I ask.
After we put the sleeping bags and everything else in the tent and set up the chairs, he walked me to the small lake on the property. We’ve been sitting at the end of the small dock, our feet dangling in the water, just talking to one another like it’s something we do everyday.
“That’s the award winning question.” He looks down to the water. “I’m not sure. I went to college and got a degree and all that, but by the time I realized I didn’t want that for myself, I was a bit too late to change it.”
“Why’s that?” I ask.
“I thought getting a finance or business degree would guarantee me a job, so I chose the better of the two for myself. But honestly, I don’t know if I want to deal with numbers my whole life, you know?”
“Yeah. I understand.” I lay my head on his shoulder, deciding to reveal my own vulnerability. “I never wanted to stay here but I feel like I’m in too deep now. When my grandma passed, she leftthe diner to me and my mom, and I think my mom just expected me to stay, so I did. I’ve worked there nearly my whole life and now I feel like I can’t leave. I have my friends, my home, the diner… it’s all here even if I don’t want to be.”
“Growing up, we all wanted to get older so bad, but now I wish I was at home playing with sticks in the grass while my mom made me peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”
“Yeah.” I sigh and we sit in silence for a bit—my head resting on Henry’s shoulder, his head resting on mine. We watch the water and just exist next to each other; I’ve never felt more content.
“What if we jumped in?” Henry breaks the silence. “It’s hot enough that we’ll dry off… eventually.”
“I didn’t bring a swimsuit,” I look up at him with a questioning look on my face.
“It’s just us out here, you can jump in your bra and underwear and no one will know.” He nudges me. “I’ll even be a gentleman and look away.”
“Have you ever been skinny dipping?” I whisper, hoping he understands what I’m insinuating. “I’ve always wanted to…”
“Maisie Winslow, who am I to say no to skinny dipping with the most jaw dropping girl I know?” He puts his arm around my shoulder and drums his fingers along my skin. I’ve noticed that if he can, he always finds a way to touch me, or just be near me.
I take him in, admiring his lightly freckled skin from being in the sun, his eyes watching the water, his feet in the water, his lips. Sometimes I’m overwhelmed being this close to him, being this comfortable around someone in such a short amount of time.
I’ve never had someone get me the way he does, or maybe it’s that I haven’t had someone who puts in the effort. I’ve never had a boyfriend so these gestures are new to me. I’m used to flirtingwith someone and the next thing you know I’m being ghosted or having lackluster sex with a faked orgasm.
I can feel myself falling for Henry, hard. It’s a fall I didn’t want to happen but now, I don’t think I ever want to take the fall for anyone else.
“Are you ready to get naked and wet?” Henry stands and reaches out for my hands to help me up.
“Literally or figuratively?” I laugh back.
“That’s up to you, but you better start before I take them off for you.”
“Like that’s a bad thing?” I tease.
