“Holy mother.” He fell to his knees in front of her. Pleased with his response, she wrapped her arms around his neck in an embrace that couldn’t be called anything other than a hug. She tilted his world on its axis and then attempted to comfort him as she would a lost child.
Pulling back, he looked into her bright eyes, full of something foreign to him.
Regardless, he knew in an instant what it was.
Love.
She looked at him with eyes full of love. No doubt her actions were her way of showing him something she couldn’t say aloud. Meg was too practical, too caring. She wouldn’t burden him with an emotion she didn’t think he wanted. He’d suggested a weekend away from the pressures of the real world, a time out of time and she was giving it to him. Just as she had given him her trust, her body, and her friendship.
And he had given her nothing but lies. The thought of allowing this relationship to continue built upon a deception had seemed small enough at the beginning, yet now it threatened to choke him. What would she say when she learned who he really was? Would she still look at him with such caring or would she turn her back in anger? And coward that he was, Rob pushed his confession away, unwilling to take the risk of seeing the love in her eyes fade away.
Midmorning Saturday was as dreary as Friday. Meg cursed the weather.
“Damn.”
She was unaware of Rob’s presence until she felt his arms encase her from behind.
“Still no sunshine. Honestly, teach, I’ve never known it rain like this here.”
“Just my luck,” she sighed. “I really wanted to go to the ocean today.”
“We could go for a walk along the beach in the rain.”
Meg turned in his arms, kissing him softly. “Really? I’d love to. Are you sure you don’t mind? We’re bound to get soaked.”
“We’d get soaked swimming in the ocean if it was sunny, so I don’t really see much difference.”
“I’ll go slip on my travel clothes.” She glanced down at his oversized T-shirt. She’d worn it all day yesterday, which hadn’t been a problem since they hadn’t left the room. Her luggage still hadn’t arrived. “I wish I had a pair of shorts. Oh well, I can just roll the linen pants up at the ankle.”
“I’ll grab us both a couple of sweatshirts,” he added. “It’s bound to be chilly out there.”
Going their separate ways, they met in the living room after only a few minutes. Rob had put on a pair of khaki shorts and Meg took a second to admire his trim, tanned legs. Raising his eyebrows to let her know he was aware of her wayward glance, he handed her a big sweatshirt and a baseball cap, before donning his own with a grin. “To keep the rain out of our eyes.”
Walking to the beach, Meg pulled off her sandals, delighted by the feeling of wet sand between her toes. Rob clasped her hand, tugging her forward. She was thrilled he was with her as she took in her first up-close look at the ocean.
“It’s amazing,” she said, as the first wave crashed around her bare ankles. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”
“I can’t believe you’ve never seen the ocean. My family spent nearly every summer, vacationing at the beach.”
“We didn’t have a lot of time or money for vacations,” she explained. “This is so cool.” She bent down and scooped up a handful of ocean water, splashing Rob.
“Now you’ve done it.” Bending over, he returned the splash, his large hands able to throw twice the water, twice as far.
Squealing, she took off running and kicking up water as he gave chase. His large hands reached out to pick her up in the midst of her retreat. She screamed with amusement as he proceeded to walk out into the water, threatening to throw her in.
“Don’t you dare!”
“What will you give me if I don’t?”
“I’ll buy you an ice cream cone.”
Rob laughed at her bribe before considering it seriously. “A chocolate one?”
“If that’s what you want.”
“Not vanilla. I cannot stand vanilla.”
“No vanilla then.” She felt somewhat relieved when he pulled her closer and walked out of the waves that were crashing around his strong thighs.
“Come on.” He grabbed her hand again. “Let’s get some lunch. I know a little place that makes corn dogs to die for.”
“What?” she exclaimed. “Corn dogs over caviar? Are you feeling well?”
“Very funny. And I’m not forgetting that you owe me an ice cream either.”
The tiny diner was nearly empty when they arrived, even though it was lunch hour. No doubt the weather had encouraged most folks to eat in the hotel restaurants rather than dash through the streets in a downpour. Grabbing a booth near the back, they ordered a veritable feast of junk food, while Meg apologized profusely to the waitress for the puddles of water forming on the floor beneath them.
At the end of their meal, Meg ordered Rob a triple scoop ice cream cone—all chocolate—and helped him devour it.
When the waitress returned with the bill, Meg snatched it out of Rob’s hands.
“Meg,” Rob started, but she merely held up her hand.
“I don’t break a promise,” she said. “I owe you an ice cream.”