Page 54 of Sweatpants & Sweet Tea

The most entertaining moment came when a gust of wind blew up, and Mark saved me from mooning the entire pier.Other than that momentary excitement, it was a one-way ticket to Snore Fest.

We’d visited Aunt Rhonda at the Moore Farms Moonshine stand, so there was going to be good publicity for the business. Not to mention, the sweet tea she’d given me had caused me to loosen up a little. But even a little liquid lubricant hadn’t helped me tap into any witty banter or intelligent conversation. I’d answered all of Mark’s questions with one-word answers and dropped the ball when it came to follow-up inquiries about him. At one point, I asked him what his favorite color was. I mean, can you think of a less interesting question to ask someone on a date?

It wasn’t entirely my fault. I was distracted. The problem wasn’t my date, the atmosphere, or my comfort level; it was the distractingly attractive man seated on a bench the entire evening. All night, I could feel Harlan watching me. Everywhere I went, he was tracking me. It made me uncomfortable—not in a creepy way, in a sexy way. His attention turned me on. His gaze was like a physical touch—a caress that sent tingles spreading through me.

As Lydia packed up the mic, her phone rang. As soon as I saw her face, I knew that it was her wife. She always lit up whenever Esther called or was even brought up in conversation. The two had been together for thirty years and married for fifteen and were still in the puppy love stage. It was adorable and inspiring.

“See you tomorrow.” Lydia waved as she answered her phone and headed down the dock.

I glanced around and saw that Phil, Ernie, and Davina had already taken off. They’d all headed out for a drink after we got the ‘second date’ photos with Mark. My phone buzzed, and I looked down to see that it was a message from an unknown number that happened to be the source of my crash and burn date.

This is Harlan.Meet me under the dock.

I lifted my head and looked over at the bench that he’d been seated on all night. He was gone. Aunt Rhonda had just finished closing up, and I knew that she was waiting for me. If I met Harlan, I’d have to tell her that I wasn’t going to go home with her.

Me:How did you get my number?

Harlan:Meet me and I’ll tell you.

Well, I had to meet him now. As I walked over to the stand, a voice in the back of my head was telling me,This is a bad idea.

No good can come from meeting Harlan.

No, butyoucould come. The voice in the back of my head now sounded suspiciously like Nadia.

When I reached the back of the stand, I took a deep breath. “Aunt Rhonda, I’ll meet you at home later.”

“Oh, Buttercup, I don’t mind waitin’ for you if you have more work to do.”

“No, um, I’m done with work. I’m just gonna…” I thought about lying and saying I was going to meet my friends for a drink, but decided a half-truth was better. “I’m gonna take a walk on the beach.”

“Alright, if you’re sure.”

“I am.”

She gave me a quick hug and headed to the parking lot. I watched her go and wondered if I was doing the right thing. I quickly came to the conclusion that it didn’t matter if it was right or not. I missed Harlan. I wanted to see Harlan. I was going to meet Harlan.

My legs were shaking as I walked down the steps to the beach below. My heart was thudding so hard against my ribcage that it felt like they were going to crack. Waves crashed onto the shore as I reached the sand. My sandals sank into the soft surface. I glanced to my left, looking for Harlan. I was turning my head tothe right when I felt his hand wrap around my wrist and pull me beneath the dock.

I found myself standing against a wooden pillar with Harlan in front of me, staring down at me with a hunger, a desire that had my entire body lighting up like the sky on the Fourth of July.

“How was your date?”

His voice was deep and husky, making my insides melt into a puddle of lust.

“I was, um…” I licked my lips nervously. I wasn’t sure where the butterflies flitting around low in my belly had come from. This man had a different level of effect on me. One I’d never experienced before. “I was a little distracted.”

“Hmmm,” he hummed as he lifted his hand and brushed the strands of hair on my forehead behind my ear. “Is that right?”

His question might sound innocent, but it was anything but.

“Yeah, there was this guy sitting on a bench that kept staring at me.”

“What a creep.”

“I know, right?” I breathed as my lips curled in a grin. “And he got my number somehow.”

“You should tell your friend Nadia not to leave her phone unattended during boot camp.”

---