Chapter Twenty-Six

Lola

I dislike being woken up by loud noises. Especially when it's a hard, unyielding knock on your front door on your scheduled day off. Sitting up with a groan, I shove the wild hair from my eyes and squint at the clock.

Seriously? Seven a.m. on a Saturday?

All at once, last night's events come back to me. Could it be Perry? Is he still upset with me for bringing up the inevitable? I scoot to the edge of the bed, slide on my pink fuzzy slippers, then shuffle toward the front door. Thankfully, I'm decently clothed in leggings and an oversized graphic tee.

Again, the obnoxiously loud hard knock sounds, and I feel it all the way to my skull. Pressing a hand to my head, I grumble, "Coming!"

It's coming from the front door, which makes it less likely that Perry is waiting for me out there. I peek through the small peephole for safety reasons and my eyes widen.

"Hal!" I hiss, planting my back against the door.

"Lola-bear? You all right in there?"

I wince at the nickname he dubbed me with, then roll my eyes at the way he rhymed . Who rhymes at seven a.m. on a Saturday?

Horrible Hal, that's who. Ugh.

I slide down to the floor with a thud.

"Lola? It's a bit hot out here, so if you could open the door…" He trails off like he always does when the situation is unbearably awkward.

I roll to my knees, trying to formulate a reason for why he would be here when the investigation is nearly complete. It doesn't make sense. Still, I open the door because he's my boss and I kinda like my job.

"Lola. So good to see you." His gaze immediately travels the length of me as he pulls me in for a hug. My arms lay limp at my sides because I have zero interest in hugging this man.

"Um, yeah. You too," I lie, then forcibly push him back. Undeterred, his smile widens, and he gestures past me.

"Can I come in?"

I cross my arms and roll on the balls of my feet. "I…guess?"

"Excellent." Strolling past me like he owns the place, he moves inside the bungalow that's felt more like home to me than my studio apartment ever has. "Do you have some coffee on? Coffee sounds amazing."

Knowing full well he can't smell coffee brewing, he grins and takes a turn about the room. "Well, this place is quaint, isn't it?"

"It's lovely," I say, stomping as much as I can in fuzzy slippers toward the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. "So, Hal, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

He doesn't respond right away, giving me plenty of time to internally freak out. Is the museum not happy with how the investigation has been going so far?

"I'll tell you, but I'd like to catch up a bit first." He leans against the doorframe, probably in an attempt to look debonair and confident, but it doesn't quite work for his lanky frame. "How's it been going down here?"

I huff a nervous laugh as I pour the grounds in the filter and flip the pot on. "It's been going great. Nice and smooth. Buzz has been updating you, hasn't he?"

Hal nods before straightening to his full 5' 10" height. "He has, but I'd like to hear it from your lips." His sly wink does absolutely nothing for me anymore. Not that it ever really did in the first place. I was always more attracted to his intellect.

"Well, in that case, it's going good. There have been zero issues with documentation, and we're confident in our findings."

"That's great. I'm so proud of you." He moves closer and takes my hands in his. I stare at the way we're touching, completely baffled by his behavior. Slowly, I extricate myself from his hold.

"Uh, yeah. It's been the opportunity of a lifetime, really. I can't thank you enough."

He clears his throat, probably aggravated because I shied away from his touch, but too proud to bring it up. "Buzz told me you had a couple days where you were under the weather. Hope it wasn't anything serious."

With my back to him to grab the mugs from the cupboard, I smile. Thank God for Buzz covering for me. "Uh, yeah. Just a stomach bug. Nothing serious."

"Excellent."

I roll my eyes before facing him. "Cream or sugar?"

He tilts his head, eyes locked on mine. "Did you forget how I take my coffee already, Lola Bear?" His low chuckle annoys me further. "Just sugar, thanks."

I make him a cup of coffee, then take a seat at the table and wait for him to do the same. Instead, he sips from his mug and begins to pace. "About why I'm here…The museum got a call the other day from the very prestigious University of Allman in Washington. They have their eyes on one of the rarest shipwrecks to ever happen on the West Coast."

Taking another sip of his coffee, no doubt to drag out the suspense, he closes his eyes and seems to relish how good it tastes. It's then I realize he didn't even say thank you to me for making it.

"Anyway, they're looking for a team of researchers who can handle the project, and someone may or may not have mentioned you by name."

My eyes nearly bug out of my head. "Me?"

"Mm hmm. You, Lola Bear. Apparently, one of the university's professors caught wind of the work you did in college on that one shipwreck…oh, what was it called…"

"The Roguefort Ruby ."

"Ah, yes." He snaps. "That's the one. Anyway, they were more than impressed with your findings, and the presentation. They want you to move to Washington and head up this new investigation. All travel expenses, plus room and board, will be paid, of course, and it'll come with an increase in pay."

I stare at Hal in shock for who knows how long. Never did I think that an assignment from college would be the thing to catch a potential employer's eye. And never did I think it would happen before I even completed my first real excavation as the lead investigator.

It's truly the opportunity I've been waiting my whole life for. I'd be making more money doing what I love to do…And I'll be moving even further away from the one man who sets me on fire from the inside out.

"I know what you're thinking."

I blink up at Hal, confused. "Huh?"

Finally, he takes the seat across from me, but I almost cringe when he places his hand over mine. "You're thinking that this is the dream of a lifetime, but your entire life is back in Rhode Island. Your parents, the museum…Me." He pats my hand, then sits back in the seat. "Let me at least put your mind at ease about one thing."

His grin turns almost feline, spiking my anxiety. "I already put my two weeks in with the museum."

I gasp so loud, Hal startles and spills his coffee all down the front of his pants. Leaping to his feet with a yelp, he waves off the hot liquid while I bolt to the drawer for a kitchen towel.

"I'm so sorry," I say, trying to pat him dry. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's fine, Lola," he says through gritted teeth and takes the towel from my hands. "Let me, will you?"

Hands on my flaming cheeks, I sink back into my chair. "Hal, I'm sorry for making the mess, but why on earth did you put your two weeks in at the museum?"

Setting the towel in his lap, he sits with a long sigh. "Because, Lola. I'm ready for an adventure. With you. I assume you'll want to take this opportunity and run with it, and who better to assist on your research team than me?"

I can actually feel the way my chin drops at his revelation. He quit his job to accompany me to Washington? Who does that?

"H-Hal, I—"

"Listen." He waves me off before I can even finish the sentence. "I know we've had our ups and downs. It's been…challenging…trying to navigate a relationship while we're each working toward our goals. But I think that maybe we just needed a change of scenery."

I so badly want to burst out laughing at what he's saying. A change of scenery? This coming from the man who told me that we wanted different things out of life. Boldness rises in me by the second, and I lift my chin a notch. "I thought you didn't want to get married until you were forty-five? You also said we had…different goals?"

His right eye twitches just as it always does when he's nervous. "It's true that I'm not ready for marriage, but that doesn't mean we can't have a bit of fun for the time being, does it? And on the university's dime?" His smile turns wicked as he reaches for me again.

"Come on, Lola. This is your dream. Let me experience it with you." Rubbing his thumb back and forth over the top of my hands, he adds, "You know we make a great team."

Again, I slip my hand from his. "What about the Sirene ? My findings conclude that this would be an excellent use of the museum's research funds. I thought maybe if they were impressed with the job I did here, I could be the one to spearhead the project."

Hal's face twists with mockery. "Lola, do you hear yourself? You're saying you'd rather excavate a shipwreck in this piddly little town, working for the museum, than answer the call of a lifetime and get a pay raise?" His scoff echoes through the kitchen like a hammer hitting a nail.

The nail in his proverbial coffin.

"I think I've heard enough," I say, rising to my feet. "I appreciate you coming all the way down here to deliver this news, Hal, but it could have been sent in an email."

He sputters, and slowly stands. "Lola—"

"Now, I'm sorry that you put your two weeks in at the museum, but…well." I laugh. "I guess that just means your job as the research director is now up for grabs."

"Lola!"

I breeze past him toward the front door and open it. "Thanks for dropping by, Hal. I really appreciate you coming to see me."

He stops in front of me, face as red as a tomato. "You can't do this to me. To us . Lola, I-I care about you. I quit my job for you!"

Letting out a slow sigh, I force my features into an even expression. "No, Hal. You didn't quit your job for me. You quit your job because you thought that you could ride my coattails all the way to Washington and use me to further your own career."

His jaw works back and forth like he's trying to come up with some sort of lie to placate me, but I don't give him the chance.

"And let me be really clear with you." I lean in and whisper, "I wouldn't work for you, with you, or around you. Ever. Again. You don't care about anyone but yourself, and I hope, for your sake, you see the light before it's too late."

Gritting his teeth, he gets in my face and rage-whispers, "You're nothing without me. Soon you'll realize that and come crawling back. And when you do, I'll make you beg before I take you back."

Straightening his collar, he stalks off the front porch and marches down the street. Just then, Perry comes into view on my right. His head swivels in the direction Hal left as he stops on the front lawn. Once Hal's out of sight, he turns and fixes me with a furrowed brow.

"Who was that?"

I lean against the porch railing. "Hal. My ex." I can't help but let out a derisive chuckle. "In every sense of the word, I guess."

After a slow nod, he steps forward. "Everything all right?"

Blowing out a breath, I run a hand through my still disheveled morning hair. "I think so? For me, at least. Not for Hal."

Again, he nods. "Why was he here?" If I'm not mistaken, there's a hint of jealousy in his tone. I want to tell him about everything that happened, but verbally sparring with Hal exhausted me.

"Can we talk about it later?" I ask. "I'd rather know why you came to see me this early."

His boots hit the steps with slow deliberation as he comes toward me. "I was wondering if we could talk."

"Sure." He stops beside me, faces me, then leans his back against the railing.

"First of all, I'm sorry I pushed you away last night," he says, voice low. "You didn't do anything wrong. I just…I wasn't ready to have that conversation."

"I get it."

"But I am now."

I raise my gaze to his. "You're ready to have it now ?"

"Yep. Right now."

My hope sags and I frown. Might as well rip the bandage off, I guess. I just did the same for Hal, so it's only right I get a taste of my own medicine. If Perry is breaking up with me, it'll at least make it easier to make a decision on whether or not I should pursue the Washington job.

"Okay. Let's have it." I grip the porch railing with all my might, fighting back the urge to beg him to beg me to stay.

"All right." He clears his throat. "So, after you left last night, I started doing some research. I know that your field is unique and there probably aren't a ton of full-time positions open for maritime archeologists, but surprisingly, I found at least two in the area that may be able to compete with what you're doing at the museum in Rhode Island."

He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his phone. After a couple of taps, he turns it to face me. Job listings fill the screen. This man is showing me job listings in my line of work in South Carolina.

"Here are the ones I found. Personally, I think this first one sounds the most promising—"

"Perry."

He lowers his phone and eyes me. "Hm?"

"What are you doing?"

Pursing his lips, he shrugs. "Just seeing if maybe you'd be willing to become a permanent Willow Cove resident."

A smile tugs at my lips. "Oh, okay. And why is that?"

Another shrug. "Because. You know all the smog up in Rhode Island really isn't good for you."

My smile grows. But it dims as fast it blooms. He's still pretending like we can make this work, acting like we don't need to talk about the hard stuff. "Perry, I can't—"

"Lola." Setting his phone on the porch railing, he cradles my face in his hands. "Please just listen, okay? I know that was a dumb way to start this conversation, but I just needed you to know that I'm serious about this—about us."

My chin wobbles as tears begin to build.

"Lola, I am crazy about you. Like, jump into the ocean, take you to a secluded island lagoon just to be with you, fight off rabid bats for you, crazy. You don't have to move here for us to make this work. I…" He trails off and my breath hitches. Waiting.

"I may not be able to move up there right now. But if I sold my boat—"

"Sold your boat?!" I shriek.

He kisses my left cheek, then my right. "Listen, Lo. Don't freak out yet, okay? I'm telling you I have a plan."

"You can't sell your boat! It's your most prized possession!"

His eyes do that sexy thing where they deepen in color and crinkle at the corners. "It's just a boat, Lola. It doesn't live and breathe. It doesn't want what's best for me or encourage me to do things that are out of my comfort zone. It doesn't make me a better man just by existing. And it definitely doesn't burst into my home at night in nothing but a nightshirt." His eyebrows dance, and as much as I want to shove him for that comment, all I can do is cry.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" My weepy voice breaks, so full of emotion that I can't stop it. But that's where I'm at right now. Reduced to a puddle of warring emotions.

"If you think I'm saying that I'm falling for you and am willing to do whatever it takes to be with you, then yes. That's what I'm saying." His thumbs skate over my cheeks, wiping away my tears. "Lola, I know it's too soon to use words like love, but…I also know that if we had more time, I could love you…the way you deserve to be loved. And maybe I'm way out in left field here, but I think you could love me too."

I sniffle a trembling breath and rest my hands on his chest. "I know I could love you too."

Leaning in, he nuzzles his nose with mine. "So what do you say, Miss Brighton? Care to try and make this thing between us work?"

The morning's events run through my head at rapid-fire speed: Hal showing up unexpectedly with the job of my dreams on a silver platter, me shoving him out the door, jobless, then Perry swooping in to save the day with all the right words.

"Your timing is impeccable, you know that?"

His brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"Hal came here to tell me that I was offered a job in Washington. A great opportunity with more pay, an exciting work environment...They want me to lead my own team." He rears back a bit and drops his hands.

"Oh?"

"Yeah." I sigh. "Then he proceeded to tell me that he quit his job at the museum to go to Washington with me. He wanted in on the research I'd be leading there."

Perry shakes his head, running a hand through his hair. "That guy's a piece of work."

"Yeah," I say with a laugh. "I know."

"I'm hoping by the way his pants were soaked that you threw water on him and sent him on his way?"

"Ha, no. But he did spill coffee all over himself before I promptly told him I'd never work with him in any capacity ever again."

Perry smiles wide. "Even better."

"But now I've got this job in Washington and a boyfriend who's asking me to look at jobs in South Carolina to be closer to him."

Perry's shoulders rise and fall with his deep breath. "Sounds like you've got a tough choice to make."

I shrug and move directly in front of him. "Not really. You see, this boyfriend of mine is pretty amazing. In fact, he's one of a kind. He even offered to sell his boat just to be with me."

Perry shakes his head with a scoffing laugh. "Man, what a love-sick idiot."

"I know, right." I snake my arms around his neck and play with the hair on his nape. "Wanna know the best part? I'm not ready to give him up just yet. Think I'll take him up on his offer to hang around here for a while."

Perry's hands feverishly rub up and down my sides. "Really?"

"Yeah." I bite my lip. "If he'll have me."

Without warning, he picks me up and spins me around. I squeal in delight before he lets me slide down his body to face him again. Cradling the back of my head in his hand, he takes my mouth with so much enthusiasm a squeak echoes in my throat. His lips are sweet and insistent, begging me to meet his fervor. He kisses me until my body slackens against him.

Pulling back, he asks, "You're really thinking of staying?"

"I am. I love it here." I grin just imagining it. "But there are a lot of things I'll need to consider. In fact, now that Hal left the museum, they'll most likely want me to take his place. But I'm thinking that with our findings, I'll be able to convince them to let me lead a team of researchers down here for a full excavation."

"Wow, really?"

I dip my chin. "Once they see the value in what we've discovered, I have no doubt they'll want to be the ones to take this project on."

His hands move to my back, stroking and gliding over my body, smoothing my muscles. "And the job in Washington?"

I lean in for another tantalizing kiss. "That job's got nothing on my Captain."