Page 45 of Rum Sips and Salty Lips

I wonder if she’s here or if she’s working from home. I like having her close to me. It’s already begun to feel natural when I’m home to know she’s near me.

All day, I’ve thought about the way Carina’s expression changed when I told her about Megan and my dating history. I confirmed her worst fears about me. She’s wary I’ll do to her what I’ve done in relationships before. That what we’re feeling right now is just me being hot, and we’ll burn out before hurricane season ends. She doesn’t understand that I always want to commit. But it’s never been right, as hard as I’ve tried.

Carina feels right. I need her to see through what I was saying, like she always has. I don’t avoid feelings. I collapse into them. It’s never worked in the past but it could with her.

It’s the little things throughout the day that make me think of her. I wasn’t an “out of sight, out of mind” guy before. But reminders of her are everywhere. If I see someone in yoga pants, I wonder if they’re Nebula Athletics. If I see oranges, I think of orange blossoms and the orange sapling she gave me. I’m out on a boat and I’ll remember Carina likes the water.

She could only be a few feet away, but I walk into the distillery instead of to her.

The tasting room at Wendell Beach Rum Works is brightly lit, with big windows facing the town’s main street. It’s a great spot for tourists to wander in when they’re looking to cool down. Signs advertiseFree Yoga at the DistilleryandOutside Food Welcome.

I’m not surprised it’s quiet since it’s the middle of the afternoon. A few people watch a sports recap show on the TVs. The Orlando Sorcerers football team is doing well this year. Christian stands behind the bar, reviewing a tablet next to a woman.

He looks up when I walk in. “Hey, Orion. Glad you came by. This is the tasting room manager, Natasha. Natasha, this is Orion. He just moved to town and owns Lost Craft Charters.”

We make small talk for a few minutes until he gestures for me to sit at the end of the bar.

“Anything you want to sample? You’ve already had our long-aged, so you’ll probably like this blend.” He grabs a bottle off the shelf and pours it into a tulip-shaped glass.

It’s good, and I take the glass with me as he gives me a tour of the place. He’s working on expanding operations, and truth be told, I’m already impressed with the place. We settle back in the tasting room, which has nearly emptied.

“What’s going on with you and Carina?” he asks.

A wave hits me at the sound of her name.

I shake my head. “Nothing. We’re friends.”

I don’t know if he believes me. “She’s special. To this town. And to me,” he says. I raise an eyebrow. “Not like that. When I inherited the distillery, I didn’t know what I was doing business-wise. A chemistry degree doesn’t help with financial statements. She took me under her wing. Answered my questions for years. I couldn’t have expanded without her.”

I wonder if this is leading to an explicit “hurt her, I hurt you” threat.

“I have no intention of fucking with her.” It’s not a lie. “She did build a multimillion-dollar company. She can handle herself.”

“Right, you’re right.” He looks a little put out. Like he’d imagined how the conversation would go, and it wasn’t with me standing up to him and for her. “She is a little closed off.”

I laugh. “That she is. And she’d hate it if she knew we were talking about her like this.”

“You have her figured out faster than anyone else. Maybe that’s a good thing,” he says.

“We understand each other. We communicate better than it appears.” I might as well give him the promise he’s looking for. “I care about belonging in this town, and that means protecting Carina Webb. It was the first lesson I got when I docked here. Don’t worry, I’m on your side.” Neither she nor I have any plans to go anywhere.

He doesn’t need to know I’m completely infatuated with her.

I’m incrediblycareful about driving, and even though I’ve only had one drink, I want a little bit of time before I hop behind the wheel. That’s exactly what I’ll tell Carina if she asks. Not that I’m dying to see inside her store and office. And definitely not that I’ve missed her. She won’t say anything, but I also need to know if she’ll treat me differently now that I’ve told her about my dating past. Will she push me away?

No one stops me as I enter the office suite at Nebula Athletics. The assistant desk in front of her door is empty, and Carina doesn’t notice when I stand in the doorway.

“Your security is terrible.”

She jumps, then smiles. “Only because you ignored theEmployees Onlysign.”

I shrug. She’s wearing a maroon tank underneath a white cardigan I haven’t seen before. I wonder how soft it is. I want to reach for it and feel it. And I hate it at the same time because it’s between me and Carina’s skin.

“What are you doing here?” She’s surprised, and maybe I’m not welcome.

“Christian gave me a distillery tour.” Her office smells like orange blossoms like her house does. One of the ubiquitous trees sits in the corner.

“Right, no reason for you to drop by for yoga.” She’s disappointed. I see her, wanting me to herself the way I want her.

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