by Aurora Rey
“You two spent a lot of time together. You’re much closer in age than you and I are. And even when she denied it, I had a feeling she had a thing for you.”
Will nodded, looking deflated. “I guess that makes sense.”
“Anyway, the last thing I ever expected was for the two of us to get involved. And then we did.”
“And you thought it was a terrible idea.”
Nora smiled. “I did. I’m sorry I gave you such a hard time. Or if it felt like I was ashamed of you. It was never that. If anything, I was ashamed of myself.”
“I still don’t understand why.”
“There’s a lot of judgment when someone my age takes up with a much younger woman. Especially if that woman does work for you.”
“I never thought of it that way.”
“You wouldn’t. You always assume the best of people, which is one of the things I love most about you. I used to be the same way and then I got burned.”
“Jordyn.”
Nora looked away for a moment. “Yes. Even though not a lot of people know about that, the voice in my head kept screaming that only a complete fool would go down the same disastrous path twice.”
“I get it. If someone who seemed remotely like Kai appeared in my life now, I’d run the other way as fast as I could.”
Will’s eyes held such a deep sadness, it was all Nora could do not to gather her up and try to kiss away the pain. She might still get to, but she needed to get the rest of this out. “But the last few weeks have taught me a critical lesson. You’re nothing like Jordyn.”
Will raised a brow.
“It was unfair of me to lump you in together because you have some similar features.”
“And you thought I was an irresponsible drifter.”
Having Will articulate it stung, but Nora didn’t deny it. At this point, she owed Will the truth. “I did, but mostly because that’s what I wanted to see. I think you’ve proved me wrong ten times over.”
“I know it didn’t help that I disappeared for a while. I did it because I thought it would make your life easier.”
“But you came back. And when I needed someone the most, you were there.”
“I wanted to be. I’m so glad you let me.”
“I need you to know I’m not in love with you because you’ve been slaving away here every day.” Will grew very still. Nora thought she might have stopped breathing. She rushed on. “I’m in love with you because of who you are, of who I am when we’re together.”
Watching the emotions play across Will’s face—disbelief, understanding, joy—filled Nora’s heart with a mixture of emotions. She had plenty of her own joy, along with some regret over how reticent she’d been. Not that it mattered now. Will smiled at her, her eyes bright with emotion. She didn’t speak, but simply nodded.
More than a little overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment, Nora took a deep breath. “Now what?”
Will lifted a shoulder, still smiling. “We live happily ever after?”
Nora let out a small laugh, but she placed a hand on Will’s leg. “I’m serious.”
Will nodded. “Well, we keep doing what we’re doing. I love how much time I’m spending with you.”
“But I’ll be done with this wretched cast soon and back up to full speed. I don’t want you to keep working two jobs, but I don’t know if I can hire you full-time.”
Will shook her head. “Not at all. I like my job. And as much as I love you, I learned the hard way that living only for another person is not healthy for anyone.”
“Well said. So maybe…” Nora had never been a forward person, at least when it came to relationships. But something about Will made her brave, made her whole. “Maybe you spend less time here working and more time having quiet dinners in the garden, or drinks on the porch, or nights in my bed.”
Will’s smile was slow and sexy. “I can’t think of anything I’d rather do.”
Chapter Thirty-one
Nora stood on the back porch and looked out at her garden. With the start of June, it had come alive with lush greenery and color. Her perennials were coming along nicely and she—with Will’s help—had put in all the annual flowers the weekend prior. They’d need a month or so to really be at peak, but already it was beginning to feel like summer.
A large wooden table dominated the lawn, with benches along each side to seat a dozen people. Smaller tables filled the rest of the space, each decked out with a red and white checked tablecloth. Mason jars overflowed with flowers. It was the first outdoor party of the season and she couldn’t be happier.
“Do you know the first thing I ever thought about you? After noticing you were beautiful, that is.” Will’s arm slid around her waist.
Nora tipped her head so she could rest it on Will’s shoulder. “What’s that?”
“Damn, this woman knows how to throw a party.”
She lifted her head and met Will’s eyes. “Stop.”
“No, really. The day we met, you were doing the rehearsal dinner for that older male couple.”
Nora smiled at the memory—both of the party and of the first time she met Will. “That was a great party.”
“I was so taken with you. I didn’t want Graham to notice, but every time you came into view, all I wanted to do was stare.”
She’d felt the same. She hadn’t wanted to admit it of course, even to herself, but the attraction had been there. “It feels like ages ago.”
“Agreed. We’ve come a long way.” Will leaned in and kissed her. “Such a long way.”
“All right, all right. Don’t you two have some work to do?” Graham, who must have come in the back gate, planted her hands on her hips. Her tone was scolding, but her face playful.
Nora mimicked the stance. “You think because it’s your party, you can start bossing everyone around?”
“Yes, yes I do.” She bounded up the walk in her vintage sundress and put an arm around each of them. “I’m very high maintenance.”
Will stood straighter. “Is everything to your liking, madam?”
She kissed them both on the cheek. “Everything is perfect.”
The graduation party had been Will’s idea. After Nora’s cast came off, they found a weekend that wasn’t completely booked and pitched the idea to Graham. Although modest, she’d not been able to contain her excitement. In addition to Colleen and Peter coming in for the weekend, they’d invited Will’s sister and her family and the whole crew of the Dolphin Fleet. Nora couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate Graham’s achievement, or the promise of summer. “Good. You deserve it.”
“Is it bad that graduation feels almost like a distant memory? I appreciate the gesture, but I’m mostly excited for a party.”
Will smiled. That fateful day had only been a couple of months ago, but she felt the same. “Not bad at all. Especially since you’re already a successfully established marine biologist.”
Graham beamed at the statement. “I don’t know about established, but I’m getting there. Really though, what is there still to do? How can I help?”
Nora shook her head. “Not a thing. Will set up everything out here, Tisha and I have the food ready. All you need to do is greet your guests and enjoy.”
As she spoke, the first of those guests arrived. Graham went off to greet them and Will turned her attention to helping Nora finish things in the kitchen.
Over the next few hours, people came and went. Will introduced Emerson and Darcy to Nora’s sister and her husband. Martha and Heidi came, too. Nora had finally told them the whole story and Will felt like they were on the path to becoming her friends as well. She chatted with them, and her coworkers from the Fleet.
As it had on so many other occasions, Will found her gaze and her attention drifting to Nora. Unlike many of those occasions, she didn’t have to suppress the desire to stand close to her or rest a hand in the small of her back. Even more than the night of the engagement party, she felt like she and Nora were a couple. She rea
lized now how much it was exactly what she’d always wanted.
Hours later, when the guests were all gone and the cleanup complete, Will coaxed Nora to join her in the garden for a glass of wine. “I think that was a success,” Nora said.
“Complete success.”
“I can’t thank you enough for all your help today.”
Will shook her head. “Don’t thank me.”
“Right. Sorry. Old habits die hard.”
Will smiled. “I could also thank you for letting me be part of it.”
“Nonsense. We did it together.”
“Yeah.” Will looked out at the garden, then back at the woman she loved. “Nora?”
Nora smiled. “What?”
“I like doing things together.”
“Me, too.”
When they’d last had a talk on this very same bench, Will had wanted nothing more than for Nora to give her a chance. The result exceeded her wildest expectations. “I like doing all things with you.”
Nora lifted a brow, gave her a playfully suggestive look. “I do, too.”
Will appreciated that sentiment, even if it wasn’t what she was going for. “I’m not asking for any commitments or promises, but I want to put out there that I don’t anticipate an end to that feeling. You—this—it’s exactly what I want.”
Nora didn’t say anything right away and Will feared she may have overplayed her hand. But then Nora leaned in and kissed her in a way that left her breathless and filled with so much longing. When she finally broke the kiss, Will pulled back and opened her eyes. She found Nora looking at her with an intensity that made the kiss seem like nothing. Eventually, Nora smiled. “It’s exactly what I want, too. Now, always.”
The word put a lump in Will’s throat. “Always.”
About the Author
Aurora Rey grew up in a small town in south Louisiana, daydreaming about New England. She keeps a special place in her heart for the South, especially the food and the ways women are raised to be strong, even if they’re taught not to show it. After a brief dalliance with biochemistry, she completed both a BA and an MA in English.
When she’s not writing or at her day job in higher education, she loves to cook and putter around the house. She’s slightly addicted to Pinterest, has big plans for the garden, and would love to get some goats.
She lives in Ithaca, New York, with her partner, two dogs, and whatever wild animals have taken up residence in the pond.
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