Page 28 of A Shore Fling

NINA

T he Uber pulls up in front of the cottage.

I think of how different this trip is than the first time I arrived here.

If I’d had the Uber driver wait for me while I ran into the harbormaster’s office, I wouldn’t have met Travis that day.

But instead, I got the harebrained idea to drive the boat to the cottage, and the rest is history.

The driver gets out to remove Irene’s bags from the trunk, then carries them onto the porch. “Have a nice evening, ladies,” he says, walking back to his car.

“Thank you,” Irene says while I punch in the code.

Grabbing one of her suitcases, I open the door and then flip on some lights.

Irene steps inside and shouts, “Holy crustaceans, Batman!”

I laugh. “I told you it was heavy on the lobsters.”

“Yeah, but I imagined it couldn’t possibly be as bad as you made it sound.”

“You know what’s funny?” I ask.

“What?”

“I kind of like it now.”

Irene snorts. “Did you hit your head and lose your sense of taste? And I don’t mean your taste buds.”

“Nope. You’ll see. This place will cast its spell on you too,” I say.

“Pfft. I’m done letting anything or anyone cast spells on me. That rat bastard Richard took care of that.”

“Don’t let him turn you into a bitter shrew.”

“Oh, too late on the bitter part. We’ll have to see about the shrew thing. It might be a good option for me. What does a shrew wear?”

I roll my eyes and tip my head toward the hallway. “Come on. I’ve got somewhere to be.”

She follows me to her room. “I know you want to see the hottie harbormaster.”

Want doesn’t even begin to describe it.

“So there are clean sheets on the bed and clean towels in the bathroom closet. There’s not much food in the fridge, but The Strand delivers. There’s a menu stuck to the fridge. I’m hoping I won’t be home.”

“That’s okay. I’m done crying now. I might go out and find some handsome man to distract me.”

“That’s not a horrible idea. You’ll have to walk, Uber, or ride the bike that’s in the garage. Oh my God, I’m a dumbass. Why didn’t I have the Uber driver stay? “Actually, I’m taking the bike.”

“I’ll figure it out. Now, get going.”

I reach out and hug her, squeezing her tightly. “Everything will work out for the best.”

“Yeah. That’s what I keep telling myself.”

When we part, I hold up my phone. “Call me if you need anything.”

“I won’t.” She smiles, blowing me a kiss.

I shove my phone in my pocket as I hurry to the garage.

I swing my leg over the bike, straddling the frame.

“Please, God, just let me make it to Travis’ house in one piece,” I whisper.

I push off with one foot, and the front wheel wobbles enough that I start to panic.

But I hold on tightly to the handlebar grips and keep pedaling.

Before I know it, I’m moving along at a decent and well-balanced clip.

One, two. One, two. Each time I pedal, I do a two-count.

One for each foot. I tell myself it’s like dancing, and I just need to keep the rhythm steady. So far it seems to be working.

Only one more street to go. One, two. One, two. I keep up the count until I pull in Travis’ driveway, and then I pretty much drop the bike and run up to the front porch. Rapping my knuckles against the blue-painted wood, I hold my breath until the door opens.

“Nina.” Travis’ eyes widen.

“Who else were you expecting?” I ask, smiling.

“One of my jackass brothers.”

“Can I come in?”

“Yeah, of course.” He steps back.

I take a shaky breath as I pull the door closed behind me. Travis stands just a few feet away, his eyes locked on mine, like he's trying to memorize every part of my face.

“You’re really here,” he says, his voice low..

“I’m here,” I whisper.

He moves in fast, arms wrapping around me before I even realize he’s stepped forward. I bury my face in his chest, pressing into the warmth and solidness of him, like it’s the only real thing in the room. His hand slides up into my hair and just holds me there.

“I thought something happened to you,” he murmurs. “I kept checking my phone. I didn’t know if you left because you needed space or because you were hurt or—” His voice hitches, and it guts me. “I didn’t know what to think when I didn’t hear from you.”

I pull back just enough to meet his eyes.

“I’m so sorry I worried you. My sister left me a voicemail, crying hysterically, and asked me to come.

I couldn’t refuse. And then everything happened so fast. I was on a flight later that night.

Then I lost my phone in the Uber I took from the airport.

By the time I realized, it was already gone, and I didn’t have your number written down.

I finally called your office today, but the voicemail was full. ”

His eyebrows rise. “You called my office?”

“Yes.”

“I’m firing David,” he growls.

“Or you could just tell him to delete some messages.”

He studies me for a long second, then tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “God, it’s great to see you.”

I smile. “I know that feeling well.”

“Having you here is like a thousand-pound weight has been lifted from my chest.” He gently presses his forehead against mine. “I missed you, Nina. More than I thought was even possible.”

His words crack something open in me. I tried to bottle up my emotions when I left and keep them under control while I was gone.

But now all that emotion inside me is rushing to the surface.

“I was miserable in New York. Everything about it felt wrong. It’s too fast, too loud, too crowded.

I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about you and my life here. ”

“Good,” he says. “Because I was losing my damn mind without you.”

I smile, but my eyes sting. “I kept seeing reminders of you everywhere. I was walking through my sister’s apartment building, and someone was wearing a Patriots shirt, and I almost cried.”

He huffs a laugh, but I can see the emotion in his eyes. “You almost cried over the Patriots?”

“Don’t let it go to your head. It wasn’t the team. It was the guy who loves them so much.” I pause. “I hated being away from you. I hated the way it felt. I thought being home would help me get some clarity, but all it did was remind me that the city isn’t my home anymore.”

He stares at me, as if he’s weighing my words. “Where is home?”

I edge closer, eliminating every inch of space between us, and slip my arms around his waist. “I don’t know exactly. But I think it’s wherever you are.”

His arms go around me again, and this time, he doesn’t let go. His mouth brushes against my temple before he pulls back just enough to look at me. “Promise me something.”

“Anything.”

“If you ever need to leave again, go anywhere, for any reason, just tell me. I’ll drive you to the airport. I’ll wait for you. Hell, I’ll fly there with you if that’s what it takes. Just don’t disappear.”

“I promise I won’t ever let that happen again. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t realize until it was too late how much I’d hurt you. I’m so sorry, Travis.”

He cups my face in his hands, thumbs brushing gently under my cheekbones. “You’re here now. That’s what matters.” His lips find mine in a kiss that’s soft at first, like he’s still trying to convince himself I’m real, that this moment is real. But then the kiss deepens, becoming slow and yearning.

When we finally pull apart, I breathe him in, my hands resting over his heart. “I’m not going anywhere,” I tell him.

“Good. I don’t think I can lose you again.”

I slide my hands up his chest, curling my fingers lightly into his shirt. “Also… just so you know, I risked my life getting here.”

He pulls back slightly, confused. “What are you talking about?”

“I rode the bike.”

His eyes narrow. “The bike?”

I nod solemnly. “The green death trap that came with the house.”

Travis lets out a short laugh. “No way.”

“Oh, it wasn’t pretty, and there was a lot of praying and swearing, but I made it in one piece.”

His grin grows. “I can’t believe you used it. After the day I taught you to ride, you never wanted to try again.”

“Desperate times. It was either that or walk. And honestly? If I hadn’t promised myself I’d get to you, I’d probably still be huffing and puffing, pushing the bike here.”

He laughs, the sound rumbling through his chest, and damn, I missed it. I missed him . The way his smile softly spreads across his face until the corners of his eyes crinkle. The way he looks at me like I’m the most fascinating person he knows.

“You’re kind of amazing,” he says, still smiling.

“I’m kind of out of breath,” I say, feigning exhaustion. “Also, your road is not as flat as it looks. You should do something about that.”

He chuckles, pressing his lips to mine for a tender kiss.

I brush my thumb lightly over his stubbly jaw. “So, later will you give me a ride home in your truck? There’s no way I’m riding a bike in the dark.”

He laughs. “Hell no. I just got you back. You’re stuck here now.”

“Good,” I whisper, brushing another kiss over his lips. “I was hoping you'd say that.”