Page 85 of So Close

“Yes. I can attest to the fact that that’s true.”

“Do you have any vacancies?”

Now he was just messing with her, a teasing turn on the word. And she loved it.

“We—let me just get into the computer.” She opened the reservation screen, even though she knew. She knew the whole schedule by heart without looking, always.

“You’re in luck. We had a cancellation yesterday, and we have one room available, for a week. The guest house room. You can view the room online if you want to see the details, but it has a queen bed in a standalone structure, with its own bath and its own gas fireplace. It’s a lovely place for—figuring things out.”

She heard his sharp inhale. “Sounds perfect for me.”

“I’ll put you in the computer, then. What—what will you be doing on your trip? Do you need us to make any dinner reservations for you? Or—we can do boat rentals, that kind of thing.”

“I’m thinking about a very long beach walk,” he said. “I don’t suppose—no—I guess that wouldn’t make any sense, would it? I don’t suppose you do beachtours.”

“You mean, have someone accompany you on this long beach walk? Point things out to you? Show you the sights?”

“Yes. That’s what I was thinking. Maybe there could be a picnic. I’ve heard Tierney Bay Diner does really great takeout. I could order something, if the inn has a small cooler I could borrow…”

“Well,” she said. “We aim to be a full-service operation. I don’t see why we couldn’t custom build that experience for you. A long beach walk. Did you know you can walk all the way from Tierney Bay to Hipsalu on the beach at low tide? And as luck would have it, there’ll be a particularly low tide tomorrow. I could find someone to accompany you on your walk. It would take several hours, and that’s without stopping for a picnic. If you took a picnic break, though, there’s a spot I can recommend that’s secluded. There’s a little cave. If you brought a blanket to spread out …”

He made a low sound at the other end of the phone, which vibrated in her belly.

“So,” she said. “You’re all set, then. When will you be checking in?”

She heard the front door open, and then he stepped into the front office, holding his cell phone. And she smiled. She couldn’t have helped it if her life had depended on it. Because he was wearing board shorts and a Tierney Bay t-shirt and flipflops, and he had a towel slung over one arm and a bucket with a plastic shovel in it in his other hand. He saw her smile, and his own lit up his face.

“Auburn,” he murmured. “I was wrong.”

“Yes. You were an overassertive, presumptuous macho dipshit with a fix-it complex. But I also know you had your reasons.”

He came up to the desk and set down his towel and shovel and pail. Leaned over the desk, rested his elbows on it. “You are the strongest woman I have ever met. And the most beautiful. I love the way you see the world. I love that you saw through me. I love—”

She couldn’t catch her breath. The way he was looking at her made it impossible.

“I loveyou.”

Her eyes filled with tears. She had to brush them back and find her ability to form words. “That’s a pretty good speech.”

“It’s not a speech. It’s the truth. I did have a whole speech, but I forgot it when I looked at you.”

“Oh.”

“It had something to do with—Brynn and I had a talk. About my mom. And how—”

His eyes were shiny.

“I’m not crying,” he said. “Okay, maybe I’m sort of crying.”

“I would be good with you crying,” Auburn said. “I’ve heard this rumor that men do that now. It’s not just for women anymore.”

That made Trey laugh.

“Brynn says that I blame myself for my mom’s death. I convinced myself that if I’d worked harder she wouldn’t have had to work so hard … I’m definitely crying,” he said. “Shit, Auburn, I am not sure I can do this. It’s so—wetandgooey.”

She giggled. She reached under the desk and handed a tissue to him. He took it, looked down at it in mock confusion, then swept it across his brow and tried to stick it in his non-existent breast-pocket, handkerchief-style. She pulled it out again and gently dabbed at his eyes. He caught her hand, pulled her close, and kissed her until they were both breathless and panting.

“Stupid counter,” Trey said to the obstacle between them. “Anyway, Brynn says—I should stop saying that, shouldn’t I?”

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