Page 37 of Tide Over

My heart leaps as I pull into my driveway and see Liam’s truck parked by the house. I park next to it and take a deep breath as I get out, letting the excitement roll through me for a moment. But it only grows as I push the door open and step inside the house, hearing a faint rustling from the kitchen. I peer around the corner as I kick my boots off and shrug out of my jacket, smiling as I see him at the kitchen counter, illuminated by sunlight streaming in through the window.

“Hey,” I say, entering the kitchen.

He turns to look at me, and the smile on his lips sends a rush of warmth through me.

“Hey.” He glances at the clock on the microwave. “I didn’t think you’d be home so early.”

“Yeah.” I rub the back of my neck, also glancing at the time. It’s 3:00PM, which might be the earliest I’ve been home since lobster season started in November. “I have some work to do in the workshop today.”

Miss Bobber meows at my feet as she walks back and forth between me and Liam, looking up at us like she is expecting all the attention.

Liam nods, his eyes briefly roaming over my face before he quickly drops his gaze to Miss Bobber. “She got bigger.”

I chuckle as he bends down to pick her up, and she purrs as she rubs her face against his nose.

“She did,” I say quietly, watching them.

We’re both silent for a moment as Miss Bobber’s purrs fill the space between us, and a quiet comfort settles inside me. One that I’ve been missing for three weeks.

“Want a coffee?” I ask, heading for the coffee maker.

“I just made one,” Liam says, setting Miss Bobber down and taking a seat at the kitchen island before a fresh cup of coffee.

I glance over my shoulder at him while I get my own started, and take in how tired he looks as he runs a hand through his hair. “How was your flight?”

“It was ok,” he says, looking out the glass patio door to the water. “Long.”

I nod, leaning against the counter as my coffee brews. I can’t help but watch him as he gazes out the patio door, the sunlight casting a soft glow on his dark, almost black hair, with his blue eyes sparkling like crystals in the light. But as my mind wanders to what I did when I was imagining those eyes on me, I quickly avert my gaze and turn back to the coffee maker.

“Um, it’s a nice day out…” I say as I take my coffee mug and stand awkwardly in the middle of the kitchen. But when he looks at me, I give him a soft smile. “I might actually take your advice and slow down for a minute.”

He cocks an eyebrow at me, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Really…”

I laugh. “Yeah.” Then I tilt my head towards the patio door. “Coffee outside?”

The smile spreads over his face and he nods. “Yeah.”

As we head out onto the patio, and down the steps to the Adirondack chairs, anxiety mixes with the excitement I’ve been feeling. I’ve been looking forward to him coming home, especially after how well we seemed to connect while he was away. But during this time, I’ve also come to realize just how into him I am. And now that he’s here… I’m not sure I know how to manage these feelings, which are quickly overwhelming me.

We take a seat on the chairs overlooking the calm water, and I take a moment to feel the warm sunshine on my skin. With just a couple days left in April, the spring air feels crisp and fresh. I take a subtle deep breath in to calm my nerves and cast a sideways glance at Liam.

“So, should I make some ping-pong paddles?”

His eyes widen as he turns his head towards me. “Donot. For fuck’s sake, no, please.”

I laugh and take a sip of my coffee with a slight shrug of one shoulder. “You’ll miss it eventually.”

“I guarantee I won’t.” He smirks, letting out a soft laugh. “Three weeks is hardly enough of a break from it.”

I chuckle and steal another glance at him as he takes a sip of his coffee. He seems more at ease compared to when he first came here, though I’m unsure if that's because he’s been away working for so long or because we have come to know each other better. The familiar heaviness still lingers, but overall, it feels like I’m seeing more of him now than I did before he left.

“Three weeks doesn’t even seem like enough of a break for all the work you do on the rig,” I say. “You must be exhausted.”

He nods, looking out over the water. “Yeah. The work itself isn’t so bad. I’m not a good sleeper anyway.” He shifts a bit uncomfortably in his seat and pauses for a moment. “But I missed this. The quiet. Rig life is loud and busy.”

I nod. “I can imagine,” I say quietly, glancing around at the peaceful, secluded home I built for myself, happy I can share this with him.

So that’s what we do. We both sit in silence as we drink our coffee and listen to the seagulls and the gentle lapping of the ocean against the shore. I don’t remember the last time I took a moment like this for myself in the middle of the day… and I’m surprised at how much I like it.

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