Chapter Twenty-Two

Lola

After another long day of exploration, I'm ready to relax with my boyfriend. Yep, that's right. Boyfriend. When I jokingly asked Perry if I could call him that, he readily responded with, "Absolutely. As long as I get to call you my girlfriend."

To say my heart leapt with joy is the understatement of the year. It practically sprouted wings and flew to heaven, just as it does each and every time Perry looks at me with that intense gaze of his.

He might be hard to read, but he never keeps me guessing. If ever I wonder what's going on in that brilliant mind of his, he's quick to let me in, even if he's unable to perfectly articulate his thoughts. Which I love.

Just as I love the way he wraps his arms around me from behind while I'm making a cup of tea in the little bungalow's kitchen.

"Ready for our date tonight?" Perry's deep voice reverberates through me as his nose tickles the soft spot behind my ear.

I twist away from him with a giggle. "Right after I have my tea. If you can wait that long."

He tilts his head and crosses his arms. "If I must."

"You must." I take a slow sip of tea and close my eyes as it warms me all the way through. "So, what are we doing tonight?"

He shrugs. "Just hanging out."

I smile into the rim of my mug. "Where?"

He sighs. "If you insist on knowing it won't be a surprise."

I take another sip and narrow my eyes. "Do you intend to surprise me for all our dates?"

His lips curve, and that dimple I know is hidden underneath his beard winks into view. "Not necessarily, but I could. If that's what you wanted."

This man. Nearly every time we're together, he renders me speechless. I was right the night we first kissed when I pegged him as accommodating. He's not just that, but sweet and thoughtful too.

"Okay, fine," I say with an exaggerated sigh. "I guess I'll wait and be surprised."

He extracts the teacup from my hands, then links his fingers with mine. "Let's go. I don't want to miss the sunset."

The whole time during our walk to what I can only assume is the beach, Perry keeps his hand connected with mine.

"Are you sure you don't care if people see us holding hands?" I hesitantly ask.

"Why would I?" Perry's gaze burns into the side of my head. I can't look him in the eye while I explain this next part, just in case he agrees with Jerica.

"Your sister mentioned that people would gossip about our night on the boat. I don't want to give people a reason to talk about you and the weird girl with the pink hair. I might give you a reputation." I laugh to lighten the building pressure in my chest, to ease the discomfort of the moment.

Perry tugs my hand to a stop, and I turn toward him.

"I don't care what people think. About me, or you. I especially don't care what they say about my reputation." His dark blue eyes sweep over me. "If the gossips want to talk, let them. But don't for a second think that my sister's—or anyone else's—opinion of us holds any weight with me."

Perry perfectly worded that to put my mind at ease. I lean close and press a kiss to his bearded cheek. "Thank you. Best boyfriend ever."

His deep hum of a laugh makes me smile as we start back toward the beach. "I hope you're hungry."

I swing our hands between us. "Definitely. But I'm pretty much always hungry."

"Good to know."

I smile at his subtle way of telling me he's paying attention. Just as we're about to crest the grass-covered hill that leads toward the water, Perry stops me. "Okay. Now close your eyes."

"Really?" I whine. "What if I told you I don't like surprises?" I bat my lashes in a show of innocence only for Perry's expression to cloud with confusion.

"But it said all women love surprises."

I cock my head. " What said that?"

His cheeks redden in the sweetest way. "Oh, um. Nothing."

I wiggle his hand and tease, "Perry, it's not right to lie to your girlfriend. That's very bad form for a first date."

A nervous chuckle escapes him as he shakes his head. "I'll never live this down."

"Come on, now you have to tell me!"

"Fine," he huffs. "But you can't ever bring this up again. Promise?"

"Promise." I make an X over my heart so he knows I'm serious, even if my grin stretches from ear to ear.

"It's just that this is my first real date in years. So…I might have…looked up how to impress a girl on a first date." He rushes the last part, then exhales, like it took every ounce of energy to say. "There. Now you know what a loser you're strapped to for the night."

I so badly want to giggle, but a softer, more grateful part of me knows how big of a deal this was for him. To take me out, to call me his, even to plan something special for us. That fact that he wants to impress me at all speaks volumes to how he feels about me.

I press up onto my tiptoes and place my lips against his. "That's the sweetest and most wholesome thing I've ever heard," I whisper. "Thank you."

He leans back to look into my eyes. "So you're not going to take my fun away from me tonight, then, right? You'll play along and do as I say?"

An unexpected shiver courses through me. Why do I like the idea of this man telling me what to do on a first date?

"Yes," I reply. "I'll play along."

"That's my girl. Now close your eyes and let me lead you down the beach."

I exhale a husky laugh as he takes both of my hands and ushers me forward. "You're not going to let me trip and make a fool of myself, are you?"

"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I did that?"

I laugh, louder this time. "I don't know. A vindictive one, maybe. One who wants to get back at me for wearing unsensible shoes."

He stops us again, and it takes every bit of my self-control not to pop my eyes open to see what we're doing. But then his yummy scent surrounds me, and I realize he's standing close. Very close.

"Lola."

"Hm?"

"Are your shoes bothering you?"

I shake my head.

"Then they're not bothering me." Calloused hands glide up my arms and send chills along my skin. Then warm lips caress my ear. "But if you insist on wearing shoes that give you blisters, I'll insist on carrying you home when your feet hurt. Got it?"

I offer him a shaky nod. "How do you know these shoes give me blisters?"

His warmth vanishes, and he takes my hands again. "I've seen them on your feet when you've changed into your flippers."

I purse my lips, holding back my smile. "Hm. Mr. Perceptive, I see."

"When it matters." I picture him shrugging those big, beefy shoulders of his. "All right. We're here."

"Can I open my eyes?"

A pause and then his voice sounds behind me. "Yes."

When I do just that, I'm struck silent by the scene before me. A huge plaid blanket covered in plush pillows is spread beside a small fire. A tub filled with ice and drinks is situated right next to a large picnic basket that looks like it was plucked right out of a storybook. I couldn't have envisioned a more romantic scene if I tried.

I spin around and gawk at Perry. "You did this?"

He hikes one shoulder. "With some help."

"Perry, this is the most romantic—" My words are cut short by a swell of emotion. I press my lips together to hold back a sob.

Seeing my change in demeanor, he wraps me up in his arms. "I'm glad you like it, Lo."

"I love it."

The next thing I know, he's cradling my face and kissing me deeply. So much pain from my past relationship ebbs under Perry's soft touch, his gentle affections.

"Mm," he says as he pulls back, licking his lips. "Sorry. But you're even more beautiful with the sunset behind you like that. I couldn't resist."

I turn around to see a gorgeous array of colors streaked across the sky. The ocean waves swell and crash along the sand, adding to the beauty of the moment. "This is perfect," I breathe.

Strong arms come around me and I rest against Perry's solid chest. "You're right about that."

After a lovely dinner, complete with sandwiches Fran packed for us from the diner, Perry scoots next to me and tells me to close my eyes again. "More surprises?"

"Just one." I do as he says, then wait for further instruction. "Open your mouth."

I raise an eyebrow and peek an eye open. "What do you have planned?"

His hand comes up to cover my eyes. "You said you'd play along, remember?"

I resituate myself and get on my knees. "All right. Ravish me, Captain." Parting my lips, I wait for whatever it is he's going to do. It secretly thrills me that he refuses to settle for anything less than my total trust.

Something sweet touches my bottom lip. "Take a bite," he instructs.

I wrap my lips around what I'm positive is a strawberry, brushing them against the tips of Perry's fingers. The juicy berry bursts on my tongue and brings the taste of creamy vanilla with it. "Mm. Whipped cream?" I cover my mouth with my hand so he's not staring at me chewing. "How'd you know this was my favorite dessert?"

"Took a guess."

I open my eyes and send him a look. "That seems convenient." He likely asked Bree, which delights me further. His only response is a full smile before he says, "Want some more?"

Together, we feed each other strawberries with whipped cream until playfulness gets the best of me. I swipe a bit of whipped cream onto Perry's nose and laugh. He does the same to me, smearing a fleck across my cheek.

My mouth drops open with feigned shock. "Uh, excuse me, sir. The audacity."

"Hey, you started it."

"Yeah?" I drag a finger through the container of whipped cream and hold it aloft. "Well, I'm about to finish it." I reach for his face, but he's too quick, sneaking under my arm and rolling me backward. I kick my feet and laugh as Perry pins me to the blanket.

He hovers over my face, threatening to rub the whipped cream from his nose onto mine.

"Don't you dare," I say, trying to sound intimidating. My giggles give me away. He wastes no time in rubbing his sticky nose all over my cheek.

I flick my hand toward him, hoping to shoot some whipped cream at his face, but it sadly only makes it to the front of his shirt. He drops his gaze to the mess I made, then sears me with darkened eyes.

"That's going to make me sticky, Lo. And then I'm going to have to lose the shirt. Because I can't stand to be sticky." He cocks an eyebrow at me as if I'm some rebellious child. I shift a bit and he loosens his hold on my wrists.

"Is that supposed to make me stop throwing whipped cream on you? Because it sounds to me like you're offering me a free show."

He laughs, then drops lower until he's braced over me on his elbows. "If you want a show, baby, all you had to do was ask." In a blink, his shirt is tossed off and discarded on the sand beside us. Slowly, deliberately, he lowers himself back down and licks the whipped cream off my face. "How's that?" he asks with a satisfied smile.

My breathing quickens. I want nothing more than to erase what little distance lies between us and kiss him senseless under the fading daylight. Just as I raise up to connect my lips with his, music begins to play.

Perry flies off me faster than I have time to process and lifts me to a seated position. A man with a guitar stands in the shadows, strumming a slightly off-tune melody on his guitar.

"You're late, Stanley." Perry's gruff tone is a stark contrast to the low, sultry one he used on me just seconds before. "I started to think you weren't gonna show." He makes quick work of throwing his shirt back over his head. I frown down at the abs he's covering up.

"I know, man, I'm sorry," the slightly disheveled man says, letting the guitar hang from the strap as he raises his hands in the air. "Got hung up at the music store."

Perry blows out a harsh breath. "Fine. But I'm not paying you the full hundred for this."

My eyes practically bug out of my head as I whirl on Perry. "You offered this guy a hundred bucks to serenade us?"

He rubs the back of his neck and clears his throat. "Guess I should've kept that to myself."

The man goes back to strumming, then singing, and I have to press my lips together to hold back my amusement.

"He's not exactly the best," Perry murmurs, leaning into my side. "But this is Willow Cove. We take what we can get around here."

I stare up at him, so grateful that he managed to accomplish all this for me—for us. "This is, by far, the best date that I've ever been on."

Both his eyebrows fly up. "Wow. Hal must've set the bar super low."

I squeeze his side, and he laughs when an idea strikes me. "Dance with me?"

Perry gets to his feet and holds out his hand for me. "I'd love to."

I let him pull me onto the sand, kicking off my shoes as I press closer until we're chest to chest. Perry wraps his arms around me like an embrace and I rest against him, relishing every second we get to be together. Never have I felt so cherished, so special. And never will I take a moment of this man's attention for granted.

If only I knew we had forever to be like this.

It was well after eleven when Perry finally walked me to my door. Neither one of us wanted to say goodbye, evidenced by the way we lingered at the back door. He'd kiss me, then I'd kiss him back, until we finally just stood there, hugging each other.

But even first dates have to end at some point. So I told him goodnight and slipped inside, feeling more content than I have in a long time. When I checked my phone, I had a missed text from Mom.

Mom: Honey, please call me when you get this. I don't care how late. I miss you.

Now that I'm in my pajamas and tucked into bed, I dial her number and hope I'm not waking her up. She's a pretty hardcore night owl nowadays, claiming it's due to menopause, so there's a chance she's still awake.

She answers on the fifth ring. "There's my beautiful daughter!"

"Hey, Mom."

"Oh, honey, it's so good to hear your voice. It's been too long."

I hum a laugh and snuggle deeper into the covers. "I know, Mom, I'm sorry. This job has just taken a lot of my attention."

"I understand. But you know your dad and I still like to hear from you at least once a week."

I sigh. "I know, you're right. Things have just been so…busy. And good." I bite my lip, thinking about just how good.

There's a pause on the other end. "Lola, why do you sound so giddy this late at night? Did you just get in? From a date?"

Why is it that moms have a sixth sense about things like this? Guess I didn't do a good job of disguising the pure, unadulterated joy in my voice. "Maybe," I say with a smile. There's no point in trying to hide it. I'm horrible at hiding my emotions anyway.

"Lola Anne. Are you seeing someone?" She whispers the question like we're sharing an exciting secret.

"I am, Mom. And he's amazing."

She gasps, then squeals. "You ornery little stink! You'd better tell me all about him right now!"

A girlish giggle leaves me as I kick my feet under the covers. "Oh, Mom. I wish you could meet him. His name is Perry, and he's the captain who drives us out to the shipwreck every day."

Another gasp. "Really?"

I go on to tell her all about Perry and Jerica, leaving out the part where Jerica told me not to go after her brother.

"He sounds wonderful, Lola. Well, maybe a little grumpy too, but it seems as if he's more than made up for that."

"Believe me, he has."

"So, I have to ask…do you see this…going somewhere?"

Just like that, Mom's words wrap around my ribs like a vise, leaving me breathless.

"I…I don't know, Mom. I'd like to say yes, but my life is in Rhode Island, and Perry's is here." I pause, thinking over what it might take to convince Perry to leave Willow Cove. I laugh, but it's not a happy one. "Something tells me he'd be resistant to leaving."

"But it sounds like he really cares for you?"

I nod, even though she can't see me. "He does. I mean, I think he does. But we're just taking it a day at a time right now."

"Hm." Mom's little hum says she's thinking something she's not willing to say aloud.

"What is it, Mom?"

"Oh, nothing. I was just going to say that true love, real commitment, knows no distance. Your dad and I only saw each other twice our first year of dating. He got shipped out the day after he asked me to be his girlfriend."

She's told me this story before. I always thought they were crazy to stay together so faithfully for so long without ever even really knowing one another. But it certainly worked out well for them in the end. "Yeah, I know."

"That's not to say it was easy, but your dad was worth it." I smile at that. "It sounds to me like you and Perry need to decide if the other is worth it. Distance or change, doesn't matter. Not if love is the driving force."

I swallow down the well of emotions her words bring to the surface. I'm sure she's right, in her own way. But not every couple can face the unknown the same way she and Dad did. For years, I've idealized their relationship, always wanting something like what they had. But now that it's at my fingertips, the very real fear of failure stifles what little hope I can muster.

"Thanks, Mom. I appreciate your wisdom."

"Always, Lola."

We say goodbye and I sink into the pillows, contemplating our conversation. I wish there was a way to know whether or not Perry and I are meant to be together for the long haul. As it is, things are still too new, too breakable.

Plus, I'm not sure I'm ready to go all-in with another guy just yet. My last heartbreak is too fresh for me to want to invest that much of myself into someone, only for it all to come crashing down a year later with nothing to show for it.

I know Perry isn't Hal, but there are never any guarantees in a relationship. And that's what I repeat to myself as I drift off to sleep and wish things could be different.