“Watch it.” Hands hold my biceps, and I step back, snapping my head up.
“Uh, sorry.” I press my lips together.
“No worries.” Nate releases my arms and steps back, crossing his arms. “Figured I’d stop you before you crashed into me.”
“Yeah, definitely. No need to smack myself on the wall that is your body.”
Oh, my God. Shut. Up.
“Wall?” He tilts his head and smirks just enough that one side of his lips rises.
“I mean… Oh hell, you know you’re fit. Your muscles”—I wave a hand in front of him—“are hard. I give up on trying to fix my outbursts.”
Nate laughs, tossing his head back, and I’m caught by surprise at his reaction. Based on his stoic mood when he was in my class, I’d expect something different than this.
“Uncle Nate, I’m hungry.” I see Walker’s head sticking out the window of his car and laugh.
“Duty calls.” I step away from him, still no key found.
“Right. Have a good evening, Ms. Andrews.”
“Lizzy.” I correct him with a small smile.
“Lizzy.” He repeats my name as if testing the way it feels coming from his mouth. A very nice mouth with full lips and slightly crooked teeth that make him imperfect and yet so perfect.
So much for not crushing on him.
At this point, I think that’s hopeless.
I stop by my car, placing my bag on the hood, and start moving things around in my purse until I finally find my keys in the bottom corner.
“About time,” I mumble to myself.
Getting in my car, I drive off, not wanting to go home. For once, all my papers are graded and my classes are prepped.
I make a right, driving toward the boardwalk. The weather is nice and having a coffee with the sound of waves crashing from the beach nearby is exactly what I need. Finding a spot not too far from Bay Brew, I park and step out of my car.
As I walk to the coffee shop, the ocean breeze feels like home. As long as I can remember, my senses have been invaded with the salty smell of the ocean and the gentle breeze cooling my skin.
Living in a beach town has major perks, and I can’t imagine living somewhere that’s landlocked. I need the ocean the way a lumberjack needs a forest full of trees.
I order a Frappuccino to go and wander the boardwalk, saying hi to people I pass. The great thing about small towns is that everyone feels like family. The bad thing is that everyone knows your business. Although, I wouldn’t trade my community for the world. When something happens to someone, we all come together in support, like when a hurricane took out a lot of the beach houses and we all gave our friends a place to sleep while they rebuilt. You never feel alone in Emerald Bay.
Spotting an empty bench near the shore, I sit down and stare at the crashing waves. If I had a towel or blanket with me, I’d sit on the sand and dig my toes into it.
People pass by as they laugh, some carrying shopping bags. When I see a young couple holding hands and the guy spinning the girl around, a pang of envy hits me square in the chest. I shake it off, slurping on my straw as I try to grab as much of the whipped cream in my frap.
“Ms. Andrews.” A student I had last year waves at me with a bright smile.
“Hi.” I smile at her as she walks by with her parents.
Having Ava in my class was the push I needed to consider going back to school for my school counseling degree when I had given up on the idea. When I taught her, she was going through a rough time at home, and she confided in me throughout the year. The spark to help kids in a different environment grew stronger than ever before, reminding me why this was my life-long dream.
Running into her cements the idea that I’ve made the right choice in prioritizing my career, even if it means putting my love life on hold for a bit especially with the terrible dates I’ve been on in recent months. Helping children overcome any struggles or challenges beyond the academic field is what’s important right now.
The sound of the waves and the laughing sounds the seagulls make lull me back into a daze.
“Hi.” An unfamiliar voice interrupts my daydreaming.