Page 51 of Sea La Vie
“Maybe we could reach out to one of the family members,” I suggest.
He nods in agreement. “I think that’s the best next step.” He stands and pulls me to him with a sandy hand. “If the nurses don’t quit kicking us out before he finishes his story, I’m going to lose it.”
I laugh, thinking of how a nurse came in again the last time we were there to gently remind us visiting hours were over. We had offered to come earlier in the day, but apparently Tate’s grandpa keeps a very tight calendar filled with plenty of outings and other activities.
“Hey Lainey?” he says, rocking back on his heels, the legs of his jeans rolled up to his knees. He’s looking anywhere but me, chewing nervously on his bottom lip. I know he’s trying to make me laugh now that I’ve told him he needs to work on his game.
“Yeah?” I ask, stifling a giggle. He looks so innocent, like a kid about to ask his crush on a playground date.
He bends down to pick up Midge, whining at his feet and scratches her under her chin. I can’t believe how quickly she’sfallen for him, and I think she probably feels the same way about him that I do. “I really missed you.”
I bite my lip to hide a smile. “I missed you too, City Boy.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Tate asks.
“Tomorrow,” I promise. We’re standing outside Mugs and Memos when the door flies open.
“Hey, Aunt Lainey!” Sam barrels through the door, tripping over his untied shoelaces, then knocks into my knees.
“Any pet worms today?” I ask, bending down to tie his shoe and rustle his hair. He looks up at me, brown eyes wide.
“No, Aunt Lainey. I forgot I put one in my back pocket and mom found it when she was doing laundry.” He crooks his little finger, and I lean down for him to whisper in my ear. “I got in really big trouble for that.”
“Hmm,” I say. “We need to get you a dog.”
“Yeah, a dog!” Sam squeals right as Eden walks out and says, “You can potty train it, then.”
“Maybe you can just borrow Midge from time to time?” I suggest. She glares at me, then shoos Sam back inside. Once he’s in, her gaze ping-pongs back and forth between Tate and me, a grin spreading across her face.
“What?” I ask.
“I saw you two holding hands,” Eden giggles.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I say with a roll of my eyes, but really I’m fighting to not giggle and kick my feet and squeal because yeah, wewereholding hands, and it was pretty great.
Tate’s cheeks flush. “I’m going to go back and work on my project,” he stammers and walks away.
“For someone so handsome and strong, he sure does remind me an awful lot of a golden retriever,” she says when he’s out of earshot. “So? How was it?”
I shrug one shoulder. “It was a walk on the beach,” I say. “Salty, sandy. The usual.”
Eden hums then narrows her eyes. “I know when we go together, I don't come back with a hickey on my neck.”
My hand flies to my neck as my dignity falls into my stomach.
Eden cackles. “Gotcha. Iknewit!”
“Okay, so we kissed, big deal!” I say, fighting to hide a smile. Finally, I give up and let it consume my face. “He’s pretty great, Eden.”
Eden's face softens, and she grabs my hand. “Even for a city boy?”
“Even for a city boy,” I answer. “I wish I hadn’t said the things I did when we were younger. I feel like we wasted ten years. But, somehow, it feels like he never left. We just…fit. I’m nervous, though,” I admit. “What am I going to do when he sells the house?”
“You know what your dad told me one day when I was nervous about my algebra final in high school?” Eden asks.
I raise an eyebrow. “No.”
“I was nervous because numbers started equaling letters and like…why? But Henry was helping me study at the kitchen table, and when he went to the bathroom, I started crying because I couldn’t get it right. And your dad came in and said ‘Eden, worrying is a lot like a rocking chair. You can rock in it all you want, but it’s not going to get you anywhere.’ And that really stuck. I thought about it when I opened the coffee shop and I thought about it when I had Sam. I’ve probably thought about it at least a million times since then.”
