I tell myself this is nothing. A spark. A moment. It will pass. But as Jake’s gaze lingers, steady, warm, unflinching, promising more, I wonder if I’m lying to myself, if I really want this moment to pass at all.
2
JAKE
The last firework dies in a shower of silver sparks, and the beach crowd starts to thin, voices drifting away like smoke. Grace stays seated on her blanket, knees drawn up, arms wrapped loosely around them, staring at the dark water as if she's trying to decide whether the night is over or just beginning.
I don't move either.
I sit beside her on the cooling sand, close enough that our shoulders nearly touch, close enough that I can smell the faint coconut of her sunscreen mixed with the salt on her skin. Every time she breathes, the thin strap of her sundress shifts against her collarbone, and I have to force my gaze back to the ocean before I do something stupid like reach out and trace that line with my fingertip.
She finally stands, brushing sand from the back of her thighs with slow, deliberate movements. The motion pulls the fabric of her dress tight for a second, outlining the curve of her hips, and my throat goes dry.
I rise too, offering my hand without thinking.
She looks at it, then at me, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "I’m already standing, Jake."
"I know." I keep my hand extended anyway. "But I like touching you."
Her laugh is soft, surprised, and she places her palm in mine. Her skin is warm, softer than I expected, and the simple contact sends a jolt straight through me. I let my thumb stroke the inside of her wrist once before I release her.
We walk in silence for a few steps toward the path that leads back to the cottages. The bonfire is down to glowing embers behind us, and the waves keep their steady rhythm, louder now that the music has stopped.
"Thank you for the company," she says quietly. "The fireworks were better with someone to watch them with."
"Anytime." I glance sideways at her. "You heading straight home?"
She nods. "Early start tomorrow. Pitches to send, coffee to drink, pretending I'm not distracted by a certain surf-shop owner who won't stop staring."
I grin. "Guilty. I can't help it, Grace. You're distracting."
She stops at the edge of the boardwalk and turns to face me fully. The string lights overhead catch in her hair, turning the strands to warm gold. "Jake..."
"Yeah?"
She hesitates, searching my face. "This, whatever this might be, it's just for the summer. I'm here for three months."
I step closer, not crowding her, but close enough that she has to tilt her head to meet my eyes. "I heard you the first time. No complications. No strings."
Her gaze drops to my mouth for a heartbeat before flicking back up. "I’ve never done something like this, especially with a man so much younger than me."
"Never," I repeat, letting the word hang between us. "Is there room for exceptions?"
She exhales a small laugh. "You're trouble."
"Only the best kind." I reach out, tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, letting my fingers linger against the shell of it. Her breath hitches, just barely, but I hear it. I feel it. "Get some sleep, Grace. Dream about me, I won't mind."
Her lips part, but no words come out. Instead, she gives me one last long look, then turns and walks away down the path to Oceanview Lane.
I watch until she's out of sight, hands shoved in my pockets to keep from following her.
Sleep doesn't come easily that night. I lie in my bed above the surf shop, windows open to the sound of the surf, replaying every second of the evening. The way her eyes lit when she laughed. The way her body leaned toward mine during the fireworks. The way she didn't pull away when my fingers grazed her skin.
By morning, I'm restless, wired, and already counting the hours until I can see her again.
I open the shop at nine, rolling up the garage door to let the salt air flood in. The place smells like wax, neoprene, and coffee. My sister Liv shows up ten minutes later with a bag of muffins from the bakery down the street.
She takes one look at my face and smirks. "You look like you didn't sleep. Hot date?"
