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She felt like an entire apple was lodged in her throat.
He took a step back and traced a rectangle between them. “Here’s the table.” He threw his hands to the right. “I can be your friend, your comrade, your coworker, your partner in summer bucket lists. Or…” he continued, shifting his hands to the other side of their metaphorical table. “I can be the other thing. Much more. The ‘we’re partners but sleep in two beds’ kind of more. But I can’t be anything in between. It’s one or the other.”
“I can’t do more right now, Kevin. You said that yourself.”
He sighed and shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans. Like he was restraining himself from touching her. “I know. I can be patient, Jess. I’ll wait until you tell me you’re either ready or that there’s no possible way this would work. But I can’t be dangled in between. I told you I’m a commitment guy. I stand by that.”
She nodded, her eyes on the invisible table. “I get it. I do. I’m sorry.”
“Dear lord.” Kevin finally reached for her and pulled her in for a tight hug. “You don’t need to apologize. It was me who instigated this, remember? You did nothing wrong.”
“Then why does it feel that way?” she mumbled.
“Because I’m an idiot.”
“You’re not.”
“No, I am. I couldn’t help myself. I had to know.”
She looked up at him, resting her chin on his chest. “Had to know what?”
His breath hitched as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear with gentle fingers. “What it would be like if you were mine.”
Her stomach dipped.
“Is that my Kevvy Bear??”
Jess peeled herself out of Kevin’s arms and turned around, watching as his mom approached. Her skin was deeply tanned like his from the summer sun, and she wore a denim vest with a floral skirt that flowed down to her bare feet, her left ankle covered in anklets.
Kevin smiled as he dipped down to wrap his arms around his mother’s waist and lift her off the ground. “Hi, Mom. Happy birthday. Stop calling me that.”
She jumped down and flicked his ear. “Never.”
A pang sat deep in her belly as she watched their comfortable greeting. She stepped away and looked for Honey, finding her attempting to nip at a bumble bee sitting on a stalk of lavender. She scooped her up and scratched the backs of her ears.
“Mom, you remember Jess, right? We went to school together.”
Jess stepped toward them and held out her hand. “It’s nice to see you again, Mrs. Perkins.”
“Bleh, Mrs. Perkins. Call me Arielle.” She nudged Jess’s hand away and wrapped her up in a hug instead. Honey wiggled out of Jess’s grasp and licked Arielle’s face.
“Oh now isn’t this the sweetest little one,” she said. Arielle cooed as Jess handed the pup to her. “What’s the name?”
“Her name is Honey,” Kevin explained, and to Jess’s surprise, he swung an arm around her shoulder. “We’re dog parents!”
“Dog parents, huh?” she teased, winking at Kevin.
Kevin bristled, ignoring his mother’s coy smirk as he released Jess and looked back at the house. “Where’s everyone else?”
“They’re setting up on the back patio.” She placed Honey back on the lawn and stood to face Jess. “How’s your father doing? Last I heard he gave up ownership of the boatyard. Has he been up to anything new since we left Haverport?”
Jess felt like an overly baked muffin inside of Kevin’s sweatshirt as they stood under the sun. She shoved the sleeves up and wiped her sweaty hands on her shorts, trying hard to make her breathing sound steady and normal.
“He—he’s—he’s good,” she stammered.
The front door swung open then, and a tall man with wavy gray hair half tied up into a bun stepped out. “Arielle, my love, your birthday brunch will go cold if you keep us waiting.”
Kevin beamed and stepped up to his father, clapping him on the back.
