Page 41 of Seas the Dating Coach

A great-grandmother? A townsperson I’ve yet to meet?

“No, Finn.” Vivian settles both hands on my shoulders, her head subtly shaking. “Nothing like that. Petunia is my car. Brynn’s, technically, but we both use it. I drive to the mainland less than her, so we share one.”

“Oh.” I should lean back now that she’s clarified, but then I’d miss the gentle weight of her hands.

“This is going to sound silly.”

“I doubt it.” I make sure to quirk the corner of my lips, even though I’m being completely honest. “Nothing you say is silly.”

Vivian wrinkles her nose, and I nearly implode. Death by cuteness. Is that a thing?

“Just listen.” She playfully pushes me back, breaking contact. “Do you remember when I told you about the Oceanside Artisan Fair?”

“Of course, gorgeous. It’s tomorrow.”

Her mouth opens and closes a few times before she swallows. “Right. Well, what I didn’t tell you was it was part two of my ocean wish. Officially, I only wished for the ability to talk to the man of my dreams, because everyone knows you can only ask the ocean for one thing.”

“Naturally.” My fingers clench the armrests at the reminder of Atticus.

Vivian narrows her eyes at my dry comment but continues, “Having that first wish granted gave me the confidence to move forward with part two of my plan.”

She breathes that wistful sigh of hers, and darn if my chest doesn’t clench.

“Honestly, the last few days have felt like an upbeat montage. All that was missing was Natasha Bedingfield’s soulful voice as I boxed up dresses to secretly put in the trunk overnight, coordinated online with a clothing store on the mainland to borrow some garment racks, and got a credit card reader for my phone for cashless transactions. But when I drove to get money for a cash box this afternoon, Petunia broke down, and I had to hitch a ride with Dr. Prescott to get home.”

“So you need a ride tomorrow,” I say, tamping down annoyance that Vivian didn’t come to me sooner. If she had called, I would have picked her up.

Vivian nods. “The mechanic said he can’t get to it until Monday. I know it’s asking a lot, but would you mind driving me?”

Unable to keep from touching her, I give her forearm a quick squeeze. “Of course. I’d be happy to.”

“And you don’t mind coming over late tonight—like ten-thirty—so we can load up the dresses? You’ll have to park beside Seabreeze Beans so no one recognizes your car.”

I run a hand down the buttons of my suit vest to dissipate the sting from her comment. “I thought that since I’m no longer the town villain, we can be seen together.”

“Yeah, but being together that late would look like we’re dating.” Her lips twist as if that idea is as appetizing as sucking raw sewage through a straw. “Atticus still hasn’t texted me. Do you think it’s because of music trivia? Maybe he thinks we’re—” She flicks a finger between us.

“Facing each other?” I ask, lifting a single eyebrow.

Vivian huffs. “No. You know…” She widens her eyes pointedly.

I’d planned on teasing her a few more times but change tactics. Since the library is scheduled to close in ten minutes—except for those in attendance for bingo in the meeting room downstairs—the upstairs is empty.

I stand, my smirk broadening. “Friends who practice kissing?”

A shaky inhale lifts Vivian’s shoulders as her cheeks flush. I unconsciously follow that cotton candy stain as it streaks down her neck, my gaze stalling at her thrumming pulse point. Several seconds pass as the air around us grows thicker. Electrifies.

“Finn.”

My name is a breathy whisper, but I can’t drag my eyes from her neck. There’s a spray of freckles over her left collarbone that I want to trace with my lips.

“Yes, gorgeous?”

All the lights in the library click off except those in my office. Patricia is probably closing early.

“You…” A swallow bobs her beautiful throat. “You said—”

“Just wanted to double-check that—” Letitia’s voice cuts off as she looks up from the thick stack of bingo cards she’s been organizing, freezing in my doorway.

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