Page 85 of Tempting the Heart

When I thought it couldn’t get any better and I tried to catch my breath, he brought his lips to my ear and whispered, “I love you, Mayflower. I always have.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Tyler

It had been over two weeks since I slept with Mae, and it hadn’t been the last. It was like the more I had of her, the more I wanted her.

We managed to find any excuse to hang out with each other, and I found plenty to do on the island in between.

I walked along the sidewalk, noticing the crowds walking and driving off the ferry for the weekend. After just a few weeks on the island, I’d become accustomed to the cycle of tourists busying the streets around Curiosity Bay come Fridays.

Marigold had changed so much since I’d grown up here, and yet, I remember how badly I wanted to leave like it was yesterday.

I’d been so torn up about accepting the baseball scholarship. I knew it was my ticket off the island, but I knew what tremendous friendships I was leaving behind.

As the years went on, it became easier to forget the relationships that had made me who I was today. I’d still kept in touch with Brad, but the one person I thought most about was Mae. Everyone else just kind of drifted from my thoughts.

But with Mae, it was different. I compared any woman I dated to her, which was nuts because I knew better. I knew theMae I grew up with would be different from the Mae she became. Yet, I couldn’t help but try again and again to recreate that feeling of comfort and joy that always surrounded me when she was around.

I think part of me feared that those feelings would be missing if I saw Mae again.

Instead, the emotions and connection to her were even stronger than before. That moment I saw her in the coffee shop made my entire body respond in a way I’d never experienced, and it continued to happen since.

Spotting a free bench across the street from Mae’s coffee shop, I jogged across the street and took a seat.

The afternoon sun filtered through the awning above as I stretched my legs in front of me, thinking about Mae and wondering if there was some way to make this work.

Mae was everything I’d ever wanted and more. I certainly didn’t deserve her. Mae’s intelligence, humor, and beauty radiated from her whenever I saw her. She was friendly with the world and somehow managed to be cordial with my parents while not absorbing their words.

But I knew that would wear off eventually. My parents always wore people down.

Letting out a sigh, I thought back to this time last year. I’d been buried in work and hadn’t even left my place in Wisconsin other than to get groceries, and most of the time, I had those delivered. It certainly helped our business grow, but I always felt somewhat… empty.

It had been a feeling that I’d grown accustomed to over the years. I’d had clear life goals centered around work, and Iwas even passionate about what we did for clients, but I always wondered if there was more.

The problem was that I often talked myself out of dreaming about starting a family. It always felt like I was doomed to carry the burden of my parents with me wherever I went or with whomever I spent time.

I never could shake that moment when the women I started to date would ask about them.

I didn’t want to sound like a guy complaining about his parents, so I didn’t. And instead, I looked like I was the problem, and most women steered clear of men with parental issues. Deep down, I knew it didn’t matter anyway because none of those women made me feel like Mae.

I even wondered if I’d imagined those emotions sweeping over me from merely hanging out with her when we were young.

“Hey, Tyler.” Bethany’s voice pulled me out of my rambling thoughts as I saw her with a coffee from Mae’s. “I didn’t know whether you were still on the island or not.”

“Yeah. I’m hanging around for a bit until I’m sure my parents are settled in across the way.” I cleared my throat and glanced across the street at Milo’s, where Bryce wandered by with Herman. “You weren’t kidding about his checking the mail a lot.”

Bethany turned to see Bryce and Herman and chuckled. “It’s the weirdest thing.”

She brought her gaze back to mine. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve wanted to talk to you about everything. I still feel really bad.”

I shook my head. “Don’t. It took that outside intervention. My mom loves the apartment. I bought her all new furniture, and my dad just arrived last night from the nursing home.”

Her eyes widened. “Really?”

I nodded, chuckling. “They’re as unpleasant as always, but I’m hoping they’re reserving that for only me.”

She let out a deep sigh. “You know, you really don’t deserve that. I wouldn’t blame you if you never spoke to them again.”

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