Sweet Heat at Bayside

by Addison Cole

  “Yup.” He pushed the elevator button. “See? We’re due a drink or two.”

  The elevator arrived, and they stepped inside. As he pushed the button for the lobby, she said, “What if I accidentally ruined your life by saying those things to you?”

  “What if you saved it?”

  She thought about that as they rode down to the lobby. “Okay, so there’s a fifty-fifty chance I shouldn’t feel guilty. But either way, you’re going to leave this company eventually. Then who will I commiserate with?”

  “Suzanne, if you’re not careful.”

  Chapter Twenty

  BY TWO O’CLOCK Saturday afternoon, Drake was getting worried. He finally gave in and called Serena. She answered after the third ring.

  “Hi.” She sounded like she had a mouth full of cotton.

  “Hey, Supergirl. You okay? Where are you?”

  “Mm-hm. Hold on.” There was a long silence. “Sorry. I was eating a doughnut.”

  Why did that make him happy? Because it makes her happy, of course.

  “I have to put you on speaker to talk to Abby. You won’t believe what she did. Hold on.” She put him on speakerphone and said, “Are you there?”

  “Yeah. I’m here.”

  “Okay, Abby, tell Drake what you just told me.”

  “Hi, Drake. Serena and I have been talking for a few weeks now, and she’s always raving about you, how much she misses you and how happy she is when she sees you. Well, you get the picture. Anyway, I was making a new doughnut, and it reminded me of you and Serena.”

  “A doughnut?” Drake wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing.

  “Just listen, Drake,” Serena said.

  “It’s yeast-style, which means it’s puffy and light,” Abby explained. “I filled it with creamy Belgian chocolate pudding, which is sweet and rich like the beginning of a relationship. I topped it with Taza chocolate frosting, which is a little coarse but truly delicious, and made right in Somerville, Mass, which also reminded me of you two, because you’ve known each other forever. It dawned on me that coarse and delicious is like the ups and downs of relationships. You know, after the blissful beginning, when real life peeks its ugly head in. And then I topped it with dark and white chocolate pearls, which are shiny and beautiful. They’re rich and scrumptious outside, but when you bite into them, they have a tiny cookie center and pack a little crunch. Like yours and Serena’s relationship, it’s heavenly, but the distance—real life—adds a bit of crunch to it. I call the doughnut Perpetual Bliss, named for you and Serena, because at the end of the day, it’s the love between you that puts that smile on her face. I hope that’s okay.”

  Drake couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His girl had talked about their relationship in such a way that she’d inspired a doughnut? Was there anything she couldn’t do? “Okay? It’s amazing, Abby. Thank you. I can’t wait to try them.”

  “They’re delicious!” Serena said loudly, and he imagined her radiant smile and that luminous spark in her eyes. “Hold on one sec, Drake.”

  He heard her thanking Abby.

  She took him off speakerphone and said, “I’m leaving her shop now. I just love her! Isn’t that just the coolest thing you’ve ever heard? A doughnut named after us.”

  “Yes. Beyond cool.” Just like you.

  “Sorry I didn’t call earlier,” she said. “The meeting took forever. My client’s husband was more than an hour late. Can you believe that? After she told me not to be late? Anyway, when we finally finished, I was starved, so I went to eat at that place we got sandwiches by the doughnut shop. And then, well, Kane’s Donuts. You know…”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, I do.”

  “I’m on my way home now. I’m just going to change and then drive down. How was the tasting? Did the girls have fun? Are you out on the water?”

  “The tasting was good, but everyone missed you, and yeah, we’re on the water. I miss you, babe. Call me when you take off.”

  “Okay. Love you.”

  “Love you more.” He ended the call and turned to their friends. “We’ve got to move fast. She’s walking home.”

  He started the engine on the boat and sped toward the overpass on Seaport Boulevard.

  “There she is!” Rick pointed toward the road.

  Serena was walking toward the overpass, looking hot in a sexy red dress, high heels, and the sunglasses they’d bought together. She had on the bracelet he’d given her. Her hair was pinned up, and she wore a happy expression. Drake imagined she could still taste that doughnut. Their doughnut.

  He turned on the boat’s PA system and spoke into the mic. “Attention, Supergirl! Serena Supergirl Mallery!”

  Serena’s head whipped in their direction, and she ran toward the overpass, grinning and waving. Her hair tumbled out of its tethers and over her shoulders.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, please clear the way,” he announced. “My girl’s coming through.”

  The people on the overpass cheered and clapped as Serena ran to the railing. She grabbed it with both hands and hung over, yelling, “You’re here!”

  Desiree, Emery, Rick, Dean, Matt, Mira, and Hagen waved from the deck.

  Serena squealed as a crowd formed around her. “You’re all here!”

  “Hey there, beautiful,” Drake said into the mic. “We missed you. Head on down to the boardwalk. We’ll pick you up there.”

  She took off running in her heels like they were sneakers. Their friends, and people on the overpass, whooped, cheering her on and waving. Drake’s heart was so full of her, his chest ached.

  Hagen jumped up and down. “I can’t see her!”

  Matt lifted him up so he could see better.

  Drake put the mic in front of Hagen, and the little cutie said, “Go, Auntie Serena. Go!”

  A few minutes later Drake climbed over the railing by the boardwalk, and she leapt into his arms, pressing her smiling lips to his. Mira captured the whole thing on video.

  “You’re crazy! I love you!” Serena said between kisses, her happy, salty tears slipping between their lips.

  “Crazy in love with you, baby. Did you think I could go tubing without my girl? My sun goddess? Not a chance.”

  “Hurry up!” Mira urged. “Before we get in trouble for stopping here.”

  “Come on.” Drake knelt and removed Serena’s heels and handed them and her bag over the railing to Emery. With Dean and Rick’s help, they lifted Serena over the railing and onto the boat, where all the girls hugged her at once.

  Hagen wiggled from Matt’s arms and hugged Serena’s legs. His bright-blue life preserver made it difficult for him to get close. “We brought you cake!”

  “Cake! I love cake!” Serena said, hugging him back.

  Desiree pointed to a box with several pieces of cake in it. “We brought the tasting to you!”

  “You’re the best friends ever!” Serena said, hugging everyone again. “The best! I can’t believe you’re all here!”

  When she finally landed in Drake’s arms again, she wrapped her arms around his neck and opened her mouth to speak, then crushed herself to him, hugging him so tightly, he didn’t know how she could breathe.

  “Thank you,” she said against his chest. “I might have to strip down to my bra and undies, though. I have no bathing suit.”

  “I brought one. Shorts, sandals, even your hair stuff to pin it up, just in case.”

  She gazed up at him, her hazel eyes brimming with love. “Just when I don’t think I can stand another minute away from you, you make everything feel possible. If I’m your Supergirl, you’re definitely my Superman.”

  “I like Superman!” Hagen piped in. “Can I call you Superman, Uncle Drake?”

  Everyone laughed.

  Gazing into Serena’s eyes, Drake said, “You can call me anything you want, buddy.” He leaned closer to Serena and whispered, “As long as you call me yours.”

  “I love you, Drake Savage,” she said as she pressed her lips to his. “You ar
e my perpetual bliss.”

  “Guess what, Serena? We’re sleeping in a hotel tonight!” Hagen said excitedly, pulling them from their reverie. “But you’re sleeping on the boat with Uncle Drake and everyone else. I wanted to sleep on the boat, but Mommy said it’s too uncomfortable for her with her baby belly. But that’s okay. I love hotels, too. We’re going to order room service.”

  Serena and Mira shared a laugh. Mira patted her belly and said, “I need my creature comforts.”

  “We’re sleeping on the boat? All of us?” Serena bounced on her toes. “Mira, you guys can stay in my place if you want. I don’t have room service, but there are stores on the ground floor of my building, including BJ’s ice cream.” She waggled her brows at Hagen. “And Insomnia Cookies delivers all night!”

  Hagen’s eyes brightened. “I love cookies! Please, Mom? Please can we stay at Auntie Serena’s and get cookies?”

  As Mira bent to talk to Hagen, Serena leaned closer to Drake and said, “This is the best day ever!”

  “You seem to say that a lot.” And he couldn’t love hearing it more.

  She wrapped her arms around Drake’s neck and said, “Must be because you make me so happy.”

  “Look at them. Where is Vi when we need her?” Mira grabbed Serena’s hand and lowered her voice. “Before you two get all handsy in front of my boy, let’s get you changed into a bathing suit.”

  “Oh yeah, that’ll help,” Dean said sarcastically, making all the guys laugh.

  “Where is Vi, by the way?” Serena asked.

  “At the inn,” Desiree answered. “She said she’d never survive overnight on a boat full of lovebirds.”

  “What did she really say?” Serena asked Mira.

  Mira glanced at Hagen and said, “Pretty much that, but a little more descriptive and inclusive of the F-bomb.”

  “Aw, Mom cussed!” Hagen said.

  Serena and the girls went belowdecks so she could change into her bathing suit, and Drake drove the boat out into the harbor.

  “Look at me, Superman!” Hagen hollered into the wind. He was sitting on his knees on a cushion, eyes closed, the wind blowing his hair away from his face and plastering his shirt against his little chest.

  He reminded Drake of Rick as a kid, always wanting everyone to see what he was doing. “This is pretty cool, huh, buddy?”

  “I love it!” Hagen grinned into the wind.

  “No more fake girlfriend for you,” Dean said as he sidled up to him with Rick and Matt.

  “Darn right.” No more fake anything.

  He’d been thinking a lot these last few weeks about what he wanted, and at the top of that list was a life with Serena. Everything else could fall into place around that.

  “You know, I had concerns about this whole long-distance relationship thing,” Matt admitted. “But you two make it look easy.”

  “It’s anything but easy,” Drake admitted. “Every night apart feels like a frigging week, but don’t tell her that.” He glared at each of them in warning.

  “Dude, we’d never do anything to make things harder for you guys,” Rick said. “How can you fix that? She’s pretty set in this job.”

  He glanced at the cabin to make sure the girls weren’t heading up and said, “I’ve been looking at places in Boston. Think you could manage the resort without me on-site during the week? And maybe some weekends?”

  “We can make anything work,” Dean reassured him.

  “I…uh…whatever it takes, man,” Rick said.

  Drake didn’t miss the hesitation in Rick’s voice, and he had a feeling he knew why. “I know I just sold you on moving back home, but what can I say, Rick? She’s my home. I didn’t realize that then, but I know it now.”

  “Right. Of course,” Rick said. “I’m not worried about me. Can you be happy here? You’ve never wanted to leave the Cape. You hated being away for college.”

  The girls’ voices floated up from the cabin, chatting excitedly about the Perpetual Bliss doughnut as Serena climbed the stairs in her crocheted bikini top and cutoffs. Their eyes locked, and her luscious lips spread into a mile-wide grin that reached into his chest and caressed his heart.

  “All I know is,” he said to Rick, “I can’t be happy without her.”

  THE BALMY AFTERNOON was perfectly breezy out on the water. They went tubing, whipping over the water at breakneck speeds, as carefree as summer afternoons were meant to be. They swam in the frigid sea, and Serena clung to Drake as he teased her about being shark bait and how one tug of her bikini string would make him a happy man. She baked in the sun with the girls, giggling about their men and talking about weddings and futures. The guys tossed teasing barbs, their hearty laughter filling the air. Hagen was back and forth, hanging with the girls as much as the guys. When Mira got too warm, they went into the cabin, where she put her feet up, and the girls took turns rubbing her shoulders and feeling the baby kick. Desiree talked about having babies with Rick, and Emery said she could wait on little ones. The day could only be more perfect if Chloe, Harper, and Violet were there. But the girls said Chloe had been called into work, and Harper’s screenplay had finally been optioned. She was preparing to leave for Los Angeles later that week, and she didn’t know when she’d be back. They were all very excited for her, and she promised to keep them updated on movie news. The timing was perfect, since Daphne would be on board at the resort.

  Everyone’s life was moving in new directions.

  Serena’s life had taken a new direction, too, as exciting as it was difficult.

  As the sun began to set, she sat on the deck with Emery, soaking it all in. Rick and Dean were fishing at the far end of the boat. Mira’s and Desiree’s voices floated up from the cabin, where they were busy cooking dinner. Matt was in the cabin, too, plucking away at his laptop, working on his next book. Serena looked across the deck at the man who had made today possible. Drake had Hagen slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, earning infectious little-boy giggles. He glanced over, and the jubilation in his eyes made her heart sing. Drake needed these people, their family, as much as she did. She might feel like she was in a constant state of overdrive, racing from one location or one client to the next. Trying to keep up with the demands of some annoying clients and others who brought sheer pleasure, while building a relationship with Drake and trying to maintain treasured friendships. But being on overdrive wasn’t so bad when she had the best friends, and the best man, a girl could hope for.

  After dinner, they docked the boat and went for a walk along the harbor. Serena told them about the pub where she had gone out for drinks with Gavin last night and where they’d sang karaoke with their other friends from work.

  “Do we need to check out this Gavin dude?” Rick asked Drake.

  “Nah. I’ve met him. Seems like a good guy.” He kissed Serena and said, “Besides, my girl doesn’t cheat.”

  “She doesn’t have to. When you’re not around, you send her Chocolate Orgasms,” Emery said with a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. She grabbed Dean’s hand and said, “I feel a need for one of those coming on.”

  “What’s a chocolate orgasm?” Hagen blinked wide eyes up at Matt.

  Mira looked at Emery and mouthed, Thanks!

  “I think Emery meant to say chocolate organism,” Matt answered. “Emery really wants a chocolate doughnut.”

  “Yes, organism,” Emery confirmed.

  “I want a chocolate doughnut, too, but I want the one named after Drake and Serena.” Hagen took Matt’s hand, his brows furrowed in concentration. “Dad, I think we need to take Auntie Emery to the aquarium with us next time so you can teach her about organisms. Doesn’t she know they have to be alive?”

  Matt beamed proudly. “You’re right, buddy. I think a group field trip to Woods Hole is in order.”

  “It’s okay,” Dean said. “I’ll give Em an intense science lesson and teach her everything she needs to know about organisms.”

  “You can borrow Daddy’s book!” Hage
n offered, earning laughter all around.

  Since it was too late for doughnuts, they promised Hagen some for breakfast. Before returning to the boat, they escorted Matt, Mira, and Hagen to Serena’s apartment. Everyone admired her view and her chic furnishings, and Hagen couldn’t stop talking about how cool it was that her bedroom walls didn’t reach the ceiling. But Serena’s mind was on anything but furniture and walls. This was the first time her friends had been inside her new apartment. It was crowded, but that made it feel a little more right. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed seeing her friends flop on her couch and poke around in her kitchen. She had a feeling she’d think about those everyday things a little more often now.

  “We should probably let them get settled in,” Rick said as he set a hand on Matt’s shoulder. “See you at breakfast tomorrow.”

  As everyone said their goodbyes, Mira leaned closer to Serena and whispered, “I’d bet chocolate organisms are about as close as any of us are going to get to the real thing tonight.” She grabbed Serena’s hand and pulled her in for a hug. “Drake’s a whole different man. It’s good to see you two so happy.”

  “It’s nice to be this happy,” Serena said. “Have fun with your boys.”

  “I have a feeling we’ll have a wiggly little boy between us all night. But trust me, sometimes that’s just as nice as loving my man. Family,” she said dreamily. “You know it’s always been everything to me.”

  Serena glanced at Drake standing by the door hugging Hagen goodbye. “I know. For all of us, I think.”

  She hated thinking about saying goodbye tomorrow. The other night she’d confided in Gavin the things she couldn’t confide in these friends or in Drake. She knew they’d try to fix her issues or push her to come back home, and she needed time to figure out what she really wanted without that pressure. She’d told Gavin her concerns about working with people she didn’t like, missing the casualness of business on the Cape, and hating the hours after she said good night to Drake each evening, when she was alone in her apartment, feeling the distance between them like a villain in the dark. Gavin had all the same business concerns, but it seemed his other concerns, though different, were even bigger than hers. He’d lived in Boston for years and had yet to find close-knit friends who made him want to put down roots. Serena didn’t want to be that person five years from now, feeling empty inside and wondering if she’d made the right choice.