Summer by the Sea (15 page)

It occurred to Faith then that this strong, handsome man, who seemed to have it all together, who had so much free time he could work every day doing something he loved, who had enough money to buy enormous sailboats and luxury cars—that with everything he could ever want, he might be missing something. Did he crave the intimacy of a family? Did he want someone to share his life with? Or were those just Faith’s wishes coming through?

Reaching the lighthouse, Jake paid the entrance fee and they walked inside. Spiraling upward as far as she could see was a mesh, metal staircase. Looking up, the climb seemed daunting as she considered the sandals she was wearing. She’d tried to look pretty, choosing her strappy ones with a slight heel. Now, she wished she had her flip-flops.

“Ladies first.” Jake gestured toward the first step. Trying not to think about the journey upward, she put her foot on the step and started the climb to the top. Their feet made quiet, clattering sounds as they walked up.

“In my dad’s house, there was a crawl space underneath our stairs for storage. My dad cleared it out and made it into a little clubhouse for me. I used to sit in there and read. The only light was my battery-operated book light. I could hear the sound of feet on the steps whenever someone went up. I haven’t thought of that in years, but our footsteps reminded me of it.”

She looked back at him, wishing they could stop right there on the stairs and talk some more despite the fact that it wasn’t the most ideal place to stop. She didn’t care. She could be anywhere and talk to him. “You did a lot with your dad, it seems,” she said, taking another step.

“Well, growing up, it was just the two of us.”

She didn’t want to pry, but she wanted to find out everything about Jake. He was like no one else she’d gone on a date with before. He was open, genuine, no nonsense. It was clear that he was just himself. She wanted to know how that little boy, who’d crawled under the stairs as a kid, had grown up to be a wealthy businessman who still did carpentry on the side. What happened in all those years to make him the man who was climbing those stairs with her now? She wanted to know all the things his father had seen as he’d grown up. And she wanted to meet him—the man who’d taught Jake how to be this wonderful, sweet person. “I only ask,” she said, “because it was just me, Casey and my mom. My dad left when we were little.”

“Ah. Well, my mom passed away when I was young.”

“I’m so sorry, Jake.” His loss made her unexpectedly sad.

“It’s okay. I have foggy memories of her—like dreams. I remember her kissing my forehead before bed, and I remember her singing me to sleep. The rest of my memories—very good ones—are of my dad.”

His words echoed in the hollow space of the lighthouse, but they were the only ones there, so no one heard them.

She stopped and turned around, and he almost bumped into her. His hands were on the railing on either side of her. If he let go, they were close enough that he could put his arms around her. “Thank you for telling me that,” she said, seeing him in a new light.

He was eye level, being a step below her, and she could see contemplation on his face. His eyes roamed hers for a moment, as if he, too, had only really seen her for the first time in that moment. The silence was thick around them. She didn’t know how to respond to whatever it was zinging between her and this wonderful stranger. The way he was looking at her, it was as if he were going to do something, say something—she wasn’t sure.

“It was nothing at all to tell you that,” he said quietly, his eyes still intently looking into hers. He pulled in with every word and every look, closer and closer. His face was so near that she could feel his breath, and she swallowed to keep composure. He leaned forward and smiled, just before his lips met hers.

His hands were on her waist, his fingers unstill. She grabbed the railing to keep herself from falling, the feel of his lips making her dizzy. The warmth of his breath as it mixed with hers, the softness of his touch, it was different than anything she’d experienced before. She didn’t want to open her eyes or stop the movement of her lips because that would mean it was over, and she didn’t want it to end. When she was finally forced into the reality of the moment, and he’d pulled back gently, she opened her eyes to find him smiling.

“Sorry,” he said. “I couldn’t help myself.” He grinned at her, affection showing on his face.

She smiled back at him as he motioned for her to resume heading up the staircase. She had to work to get her legs to move, her brain completely overloaded by the sensation of that kiss.

“I can’t wait to show you this.”

They’d finally reached the top and the heat from the moment between them and inside the lighthouse had made her feel warm despite her summer clothing. It took all her concentration to keep her mind from reliving that kiss. She needed to get outside into the fresh air.

She walked out onto the circular landing that wrapped around the glass casing for the lantern, and the relentless ocean breeze cooled her skin. She was taken by how large the lantern itself was, but it didn’t hold her attention. What nearly took her breath away was the view. She could see nothing but marsh grass and blue ocean as far as her vision could travel. The lighthouse had seemed so big and grand, but compared to the Atlantic it was a tiny thing. She put her hands on the railing, and she could feel Jake beside her as he looked out at the same view. Sharing it with him made it perfect.

“Sit down here,” he said, dropping down onto the mesh floor of the overlook. He put his legs between the railings. They barely fit, his feet dangling in midair what seemed like miles above the ground below. Faith followed suit, and, as she looked at her own feet as they swung in the air, the sight made her dizzy. They were so small compared to everything around them.

He pulled a penny from his pocket. “Make a wish.”

She had so many wishes: she wished that she and Casey could be closer, she wished that Nan would be around another twenty years, she wished that she could spend every summer here, she wished that she could kiss Jake again.

“Got it?”

“Yes,” she lied, still deciding which one to choose.

Jake flipped the penny off his fingers and she watched it sail down through the air, the sun shimmering off its copper surface. It got smaller and smaller as she tried to keep focus on it, until it disappeared in the marsh grass below.

“It’s a long way down,” he said, and she nodded. “Don’t fall,” he said, his words urgent, as he grabbed her by the shoulders, teasing her. She squealed and then laughed.

“Not funny.” She cut her eyes at him playfully, but before she could straighten her face out, his lips were on hers again, his hand at the back of her neck. Well, it seemed as if one wish was coming through.

Slowly pulling apart, they both looked back out at the sea.

“I used to come up here as a kid. We would drop pennies and make wishes with all our girlfriends,” he said, teasing her. “I’ll be honest. I haven’t been up here since then. It’s kind of fun being back up here.”

Faith wondered what that boy was like—the boy who read Hemingway and caught lightning bugs only to let them go. Would she have liked him? More importantly, would he have liked her? It seemed as if she’d have had lots of competition for his affection.

“So you do this with all the girls, then?” Although she’d said it playfully, there was a part of her that wanted to know.

“No. Only the ones I really like.”

She laughed.

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” he asked, standing back up and reaching out his hand. She took it and he helped her stand. She didn’t want to leave.

“Yes.” Faith imagined what it would be like to sit in a rocking chair day after day with the person she loved, listening to the wind and watching the ocean like she was right then. What a surprising thought to have while standing with someone she barely knew, but being with him calmed her, and, after kissing him, she wasn’t concerned anymore with trying to be witty and alluring. She could just stand here and be herself. He made her feel perfectly comfortable.

Out of all the locations Jake could’ve taken her, he’d chosen the simplest, most natural, lovely place. How did he know that it was exactly the type of thing she loved? There were lots of other places in the Outer Banks—mini golf, go karts, shopping—but he’d chosen Bodie Island Lighthouse. It showcased what the Outer Banks was really about: simplicity. The coastline itself was so amazing that she could sit all day and watch the tide rolling in and out like it had done for generations.

“How could you ever want to sit inside when you could look at a view like this?” he asked.

She smiled. “I was thinking the same thing.”

“I don’t want to take you home yet,” he said. “Are you hungry? Wanna get something to eat?”

“I am hungry,” she said, the thrill of his admission that he wanted more time with her lifting in her stomach. She absolutely wanted to do something else with Jake, but she wished she could stay and take in the view a little longer. It was nice being with him. Being up here, completely removed from everything and everyone else, it felt like it was just the two of them.

“Great. I figured you might be. I’ve already made reservations.”

“Oh?” The idea that he’d taken time to work out where to take her, he’d called and made arrangements—it seemed very sweet since they were only out on a casual first date. But that was what she liked about him, how unfussy he seemed. Especially knowing now that he had a lot of money, he didn’t flaunt it; it didn’t define him. She really loved that he painted and built things, spent time with the other locals. Faith wondered about this place he’d planned to take her. It must be very popular to need reservations. Although, most beachside restaurants were quite busy. Perhaps he didn’t want to have to wait for a table, although, in her experience, the wait was never longer than forty-five minutes, and they could get a drink at the bar.

“Yep. Somewhere I think you’ll really like. But we’ve still got some time to kill and I have somewhere else I’d like to show you.”

She was intrigued and couldn’t wait to see where he’d take her.

NINE

The display windows covered nearly the whole front of the small building. It was shingled, like the cottage, but low to the ground since it was far enough inland to be safe from the floods. Jake held the door open for Faith as she entered, and what she saw was like heaven. Every space was covered in secondhand books, some of them even turned sideways above other books to allow them space on the shelf. There were so many books; she had difficulty knowing where to look first.

Faith wandered along the narrow aisles created by bookshelves, the smell of old wood and used books thrilling her senses. It was a place she’d never been before, but judging by the look of the building, it had probably been there when she’d vacationed at Nan’s cottage as a kid. How she would’ve loved to peruse these shelves back then.

“There’s a section at the back that has well-known authors,” Jake said over her shoulder into her ear, sending goose bumps down her arm. “I used to buy my copies of Hemingway here. They were only fifty cents and I could use my grass-cutting money to buy them.”

She loved the idea of Jake saving up his pocket money to come here and buy books. It sounded like something she would do.

They stopped at the back of the shop and Faith let her eyes roam the shelves. She knew exactly what she was looking for. As she searched, Jake pulled out a few different books, thumbed through them and put them back on the shelf.

“I haven’t been here in ages,” he said.

“It’s amazing! I love it.” She really did. It brought back the desire to read for herself again.

“We don’t have enough really good book stores in the Outer Banks.”

She nodded in agreement and then, when she looked back at the shelves, she saw it: the Robert Frost section. There were only three books, and one of them she knew like the back of her hand. She turned her head to read the spine—it was newer than her copy. She’d had to tape the cover back on several times, but it had kept falling off. Finally, she’d just left it. It was still at home on her bookshelf. Faith reached over and pulled it off the shelf, opening it to her favorite spot and reading those familiar words. It filled her with the same joy that it used to as a child.

“May I help you?” she heard from behind her and they both turned around.

“How much is this?” She held up the book.

“A dollar.”

“I’ll take it,” she said brightly. Turning to Jake, she added, “I’ll bet you can’t get Frost for a dollar at that new fancy book store I saw on the bypass. This place is much better than those big stores.” Instead of looking amused, however, Jake looked thoughtful, and she wondered what he could be thinking about.

“Where are you taking me for dinner?” Faith asked, not looking back at him but focusing on the steps as she made her way out of the bookstore.

“It’s a surprise.”

“Why?” she giggled. “I probably haven’t been there anyway.” She’d never been anywhere at the beach where she’d had to make reservations.

“You definitely haven’t been there.”