10. Meg: Falling Hard

Chapter ten

Meg – Falling Hard

Lord, I am in so much trouble. I'm already falling for this guy.

I told myself that it was only lunch and a walk on the beach later on, nothing more. We would eat, talk, enjoy the sunset, and eventually, he would go back to wherever he came from and never come back to Seaside.

That plan was apparently a pipe dream.

Instead, he's nothing but charming over lunch and insists that he'll pay for the meal despite my offer to go Dutch. One point there. He doesn't share much about his family but won't stop talking about his love of dogs.

He's asked me plenty of questions about my favorite furry guests that I've gotten the chance to care for. Another point in his favor.

By the end of our meal, we are laughing so hard, my sides and cheeks ache. I can't help but get lost in his smile, his gentle eyes. I realize as we are making our way back to the inn that I don't feel like I have to put on a mask like I do with every other first date. With Drew, I can just be myself.

Is this how a lunch date is supposed to be? Because I could get used to this.

"So have you always lived in Seaside?" he asks.

"Pretty much. This place is all I've ever really known," I say.

"It's home." He nods.

"Yup. But I know not everyone feels that way about where they live. Do you feel like that about your home?"

"That's a really good question," he muses, as he slows down again so I can match his pace. "This might sound bad but I don't think I do," he says finally.

"Have you traveled to other places that feel more like home?" I ask, trying to make it better.

"They say home is where your heart is." He shrugs. "I guess I'm still searching for mine." He locks eyes with me and for a second, I wonder if he's entranced like he was when we met.

"I would love to travel someday," I say, breaking the silence.

He smiles. "What would you like to see?" This makes it sound as though he can make any wish come true.

"It sounds cheesy but I've always had a soft spot for Paris and Rome," I admit. "It's not so much the things I can do there. I just want to be able to say I was there at one point, you know? I think visiting the Eiffel Tower or the Colosseum would be incredible."

"I can promise you it is." He nods.

"You've been to both ?" I ask, sounding like a kid who just learned about Santa Claus.

"My family and I took a tour of Europe when I was a kid and I got to see Paris and Rome among other big cities. Paris was great but I wanted to go to Rome mainly for the pizza." He chuckles.

"I bet it's to die for. I wish we had a pizza place that was straight out of Italy itself," I say. "I would put it right next to the inn so people would always come for either a nice stay, nice food, or both."

"That's a smart business move," he chuckles. "The inn is really something. I'm surprised a small town like this gets as much attention as it does."

"I think that's because people need a break from their big city lives," I theorize. "It's always fun to compare how guests are when they come in versus how they are when they leave."

"What do you mean?"

"I've seen couples snapping at each other the minute they walk up to the desk to check in, similar to my snapping at you," I tease. "But when they leave, it's like they're completely different people. They're relaxed, well rested."

"They haven't been exposed to the high-stress big city life that most of them came from for a while, and it does them good. I always hear how a lot of them aren't ready to leave."

"That's pretty impressive," he nods. "What do you think is the secret?"

"I think it's just a wholesome place where people can relax," I shrug. "Seaside doesn't have to try to be perfect, it just is. Maybe guests pick up on that and follow suit. I think that's why my grandfather decided to open the place here."

"He told me he wanted to retire in Florida like most people his age. He joked that the inn was a way to give the younger crowd a taste of what retirement could be, even if it was for a weekend."

Before our walk, I changed into a flowing orange summer dress, while Drew looked like he belonged on the cover of Ralph Lauren's magazine with his white shorts and blue button-down beach shirt.

He let me lead the way to the shore that was quickly emptying at the setting sun. Families and couples gathered their things as they packed up and headed back to the hotel for some much-needed rest and a meal. As the sky began to burn with those bright orange colors, it was just the two of us, slowly taking our time walking along the beach.

"Can I ask you something?" I say as I look over to him.

"Anything."

"Why did you want to take me out to lunch after I bit your head off?"

The way he chuckles is almost contagious. He pauses, as if he's trying to come up with the right answer. "I think it's because I've never had someone confront me the way you did," he starts. "In my business, I'm used to rude people around every corner. Not to say that you were rude," he insists. "I just never met a girl with so much fire before, not even back home. I had to get to know you after that."

"My sister Mia calls that having an attitude, but I like your description better." I grin. He says I have fire…

The longer we walk, the closer I feel him next to me. Eventually, brushing elbows turns to him reaching for my hand, and my letting him keep it there, safely held in his. His touch is warm, gentle but firm, like he's got a steady hold on me that I don't want to pull myself away from. My attraction to him feels like a magnet. Honestly, I probably couldn't pull myself away even if I wanted to.

"I don't think I've ever met anyone like you, period." He smiles down at me. He stops in his tracks, gently pulling me to face him.

"I guess us Florida girls are raised differently," I reply, as a sudden shakiness sounds in my voice.

"Other girls could learn a thing or two from you," he says, as he brings his hand up to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear while taking a step toward me. I don't back away. Instead, I stay firmly planted where I am, my back to the lazy evening shore, facing a man who looks even more captivating under the sun's fading glow.

It's only now that I realize just how small I am as I look up into his eyes. As he lowers his lips to meet mine, I stand on my tiptoes, eager to return his kiss. A rush washes over me as our lips meet, sending a flood of heat through my whole body. One arm wraps around my waist, pulling me into him, while the other caresses my neck.

When we're this close, I can feel myself almost getting drunk on the smell of his cologne. His kiss is making me weak in the knees, but I already want more.

As if he read my mind, he gently pulls away, catching his breath.

"I promised myself I'd be a gentleman," he says, slowly releasing his grip on me.

"That's a rarity these days," I say, breathlessly.

"I should get you back home," he says, looking up at the sky. It's almost completely dark. It's only then that I realize how long we've been out here. Did time just speed up or did I really just get that lost in him?

"I live just over the dunes over there," I say, pointing to the other side of the inn.

"Lead the way," he says, still holding my hand as we make our way up the sand.

I want to enjoy this but my brain is holding me back. I want to pay attention to the smile that still lingers on Drew's face after the kiss. I want to take the feeling of holding his hand, of being in his arms, and bottle it up like a time capsule. I want to take a snapshot of the whole night and save it as one of the best first dates I've ever had.

Instead, my brain reminds me that I get paid to be an appropriate employee and that one of the things I'm forbidden to do is fraternize with guests. Man, I hate that word, but I can't get it out of my head.

Drew is everything I could dream about, but he's also off-limits. I don't even want to think about what kind of trouble I could get into if I'm caught dating a guest.

As we draw closer to my cottage, I can feel him squeeze my hand.

"This is it," I say, as we walk up to the porch, which already has the light turned on. "I had a lot of fun today," I say, smiling at the ground. He gently lifts my chin to meet his eyes again.

"Let me take you to dinner tomorrow, Meg" he says, locking his brown eyes with mine. "Meg?"

Lord, I could get lost in them so easily. It's not until he says my name again that I realize I haven't answered him.

"Yea, yes, I'd love that," I stutter. "I'm sorry, I just," I try to say, but his lips are already on mine again.

"That right there," he whispers. "That's why it took so long for me to help you up. Distracting, isn't it?"

"Very," I nod. I gently slip out of his arms and say goodnight after I go on tip toes and kiss his cheek. Fraternization comes to mind again, but I ignore it. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Yes, at least my grandpa owns the place. Once inside, I see that Mia is waiting up for me…. of course. She's cuddled up on the couch with another romance book.

"Fun night?" she asks, not looking up from the book.

"Maybe," I say, knowing a smile is plastered to my face. "I'm surprised you didn't flick the porch light on and off."

"Eh, I'm too comfortable to get up," she grins, closing her book and patting the seat next to her. "Spill it."

I sit down and have no problem sharing most of the details of my date with Drew. I'm so giddy that Mia has to remind me to slow down because my words are jumbling together. Finally, I finish relaying the details and conclude with a deep breath.

"So, what you're saying is, you had a good time?" She asks.

"I had the best time," I say. "The whole night, I kept wondering how it's possible for a guy like him to be real."

Suddenly, Mia's face changes, and when I try to ask her about it, she looks away. "It's nothing, I swear," she tries to say.

"You suck at hiding your thoughts and your face says it all," I point out. "What are you thinking? Tell me."

"I don't want to ruin your night," she insists.

"You told me to spill it and I did. Now it's your turn, Missy."

"It's just…if a guy seems too good to be true, maybe he is," she shrugs. "Like I said the other day, don't get your hopes up too soon, okay?"

"You're the one who told me to go for it!"

"I know and I'm glad you did!" Mia argues. "But I think you should make sure to take things slowly and really get to know this guy."

"Oh really? Because I was going to marry him tomorrow and let him take me back to wherever he lives and never come back," I say, with a blank look on my face.

"Well just make sure you pack for all kinds of weather, okay?" She playfully pinches my arm. "And remember, I appreciate postcards every once in a while."

"I love you too." I roll my eyes as I head to my room. I can appreciate Mia's concern but tonight, I'm choosing to let myself daydream about Drew and every wonderful thing we've done so far.

I can hold off on reality for a little while longer, right?