Page 50 of A Future in the Bay

“You did?” His lips curved up on one side. “That’s awesome. You really liked it that much?”

“I really did.” She glanced around at the water surrounding them. “And I like it even better today.”

“Well, in that case—you want to go fast again?”

“Yes, please!”

He grinned at her and accelerated the engine, steering the boat out across the sunset-painted waves.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Olivia skipped up the front steps of her aunt Marsha’s cottage, taking deep breaths of the wonderful smell of her aunt’s flower garden. She was there to meet Isaiah and her aunt Marsha for dinner, and she was looking forward to the meal, which was sure to be delicious. She always loved going to her aunt’s house, since it had been her own for a while and it still felt like a second home to her.

Just before she knocked on the front door, she heard a car pull into the driveway behind her. She turned and saw that it was Isaiah’s truck, and she grinned and decided to wait for him.

After he’d parked, he hopped out of his truck, his eyes glued to his phone. He hadn’t seemed to notice her waiting there for him, and he was swiping his thumb across his phone screen as if he was texting someone. Across his face was a big goofy smile, and her heart skipped a beat, wondering excitedly what it meant. Her mind immediately began to whirl with optimistic suspicions.

“Isaiah!” she called, and he looked up and smiled at her.

“Hey, sis! What’s up?”

“Mm, I think you’d better answer that question first. Who are you texting?”

He froze for a second, his mouth popping open. He slid his phone into his back pocket and she crowed in triumph.

“It’s Gwen, isn’t it?” She grinned impishly at him as he finished his walk across the front lawn and stopped on the front porch beside her. “You’re texting Gwen.”

The tips of his ears were decidedly pink as he cleared his throat. “I might be texting Gwen.”

“You are!” she crowed. “And you like her! Look at the way you’re blushing.”

He grimaced playfully and groaned. “Fine. Yes. I do. So much. And I’m texting her.”

“I love this!” She clapped her hands, tickled by how bashful he was acting. It was clear that he was completely smitten with Gwen. “You should ask her out.”

He scratched the back of his neck. “I—um?—”

“Oh, come on, Isaiah! Ask her out. If she’s not up for starting a relationship again yet, she can tell you that and you can wait until she is ready. Then at least she’ll know you’re interested and maybe she’ll feel ready for a relationship that much sooner, knowing that you’re interested in her.”

He cleared his throat. “I can’t ask her out.”

“Isaiah! Come on,” she wheedled.

“I can’t because I already did ask her out.” A grin spread across his face. “Actually, we’re dating.”

Olivia’s jaw dropped, and then she squealed and thumped her brother’s back enthusiastically. “Isaiah! Congratulations! I can’t believe you’re dating someone!”

He laughed. “Don’t sound so surprised, it’s not very flattering.”

She laughed too. “Oh, you know what I mean.”

At that moment, their aunt Marsha opened the front door.

“What’s all the excitement about?” she asked.

“Isaiah has a girlfriend!” Olivia squealed, and he blushed.

“You do?” Marsha asked, gasping. “Is it Gwen?”

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