It was…amazing.
It felt nice, being taken care of like that. I tend to be the one that takes care of everything and everyone, but to have someone step up and defend me like that…it almost makes me want to drop to the sidewalk, bury my head in my hands, and just cry. Because it’s a relief. A weight lifted off my shoulders. It makes me feel not so alone in all of this.
And that’s terrifying, because I can feel myself gravitating toward him. I can feel myself wanting him to stay, to be here longer than just the summer.
But most importantly, I can feel my walls breaking down, giving this man a straight path right to my heart.
After a few moments of silence, I say, “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I did. How dare she treat you like that? Also, I was not going to let a lady buying seven watermelons and eight bottles of champagne treat you as if you’re beneath her. Completely unacceptable.”
My lips tug up. “That was a weird amount of watermelon and champagne.”
“You can’t tell me she’s not about to do some sort of freaky slip-and-slide and charge money for it. Guaranteed that’s where she’s off to. So she can fuck right off.”
“Well, thank you,” I say, tugging on his arm. “It meant a lot to me.”
More than he will know.
“Anytime, Gossy.” He winks.
When we reach our houses, he pulls me toward his to take a seat on the steps of his front porch. He hands me a lemonade and opens the bag of cookies.
I take one, thank him, and then lean my head against his shoulder as I take a bite.
“Where do you think your butler and my gelding are?”
“No idea,” he answers. “But if they’re at the pond, I’ll scream.”
“They’re not. Aunt Kitty hates the pond. She prefers the beach if she’s going to go in water. Or a bath.”
“Rupert loves a bath,” he says absentmindedly and then pauses. “Hold up, do you think they’re taking a bath together?”
“Why would you think that?” I ask, my expression turning into a cringe.
“I don’t know, they’re getting really close…it’s just the first thing that came to mind.”
“Well get it out of your head. They’re not bathing together. Jeez, Theo.”
He chuckles. “Sorry.” He takes a bite from his cookie. “Shit, these are so good. This is one of those secret finds that you don’t stumble upon unless you’re paying attention to obscure food blogs or you live here.”
“It does seem to be a town secret.” He loops his arm around me and I snuggle in closer. “Glad you know it though, because your obsession is feeding my obsession.”
“Just here to serve, love.”
He tips back the rest of his lemonade and sets it on the stairs. The sounds of a summer night surround us, with chirping and a light breeze whistling through the leaves. “Do you like baths?”
“I prefer ponds with rope swings.”
“You know.” He rubs his hand over his cheek. “I’d have told you a year ago, I prefer the bath, but now, I have to admit, the pond with a rope swing is by far superior. But only if the pond comes with you.”
“And if it didn’t?” I ask.
“Then butler, draw me a bath.”
I let out a deep laugh, one that I feel comes from my very soul, because that’s what happens when he’s around. He makes me happy.
He has been able to crack me, open me up, and pull out my joy with every joke, every sarcastic quip, and every sweet and endearing moment I’ve had with him.
