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"You know how much you mean to me,don't you?" he asked, his blue eyes full of tenderness.
Charlotte's heart swelled. "Ido," she said. "And you're very special to me too."
Simon beamed, his weathered facecreasing into devastatingly attractive smile lines. He leaned in and kissed hersoftly. Charlotte melted into his embrace, all her earlier doubts vanishing.
When they finally broke apart, Simonwinked and said, "Now how about that ice cream?"
Charlotte couldn't help but laugh."Ice cream sounds perfect," she said.
As they drove back into the village,Charlotte rolled down her window, letting the salty sea air flow through herhair. She watched the last sliver of sun disappear below the horizon, turningthe sky into a watercolor of pinks and oranges that faded to a navy blue.
When they arrived at the little icecream shop on the pier, Simon once again opened her door and offered his handto help her out. Such simple acts of chivalry never failed to make Charlotte'sheart flutter.
The shop was empty except for theteenage girl working the counter. Charlotte and Simon ordered their cones -vanilla for her and mint chip for him - and went to sit on the pier overlookingthe water. Street lamps lit their way, flickering on in the settling darkness.
In easy contented silence, they atetheir ice cream and watched the lights from the boats bobbing in the harbor.Charlotte snuck a glance at Simon's profile, his rugged features made even morehandsome in the twilight. She felt a swell of emotion thinking about how luckyshe was to have found someone like him in this little seaside town she nowcalled home.
The night air was cool againstCharlotte's skin as she leaned closer to Simon, her shoulder grazing his. Therhythmic sound of the waves crashing against the pier provided a soothingbackdrop to their quiet moment together.
Simon turned his head to look at her, aplayful sparkle in his eyes. "You know," he started, a mischievoussmile tugging at the corners of his lips, "I've been working on somethingvery special this week."
Charlotte's curiosity piqued, and sheturned toward him, her cone momentarily forgotten. "Somethingspecial?" she asked, her voice filled with anticipation.
Simon nodded, his gaze shifting towardthe horizon. "Aye," he replied. “You know I've been consideringexpanding the fleet," Simon continued, his voice tinged with pride."There's an opportunity to acquire another vessel that would allow us todo dedicated fishing and nature charters."
Charlotte's eyes widened. “That’swonderful!”
"But," he paused, turning toface her fully now, "it might mean that I'll be very busy in the comingweeks," he confessed, a touch of concern creasing his brow.
Charlotte reached out and gentlysqueezed Simon's hand, offering him reassurance. "Don't worry,Simon," she said softly. "I understand that your work is important toyou, and I support you completely. We'll make it work, just like we alwaysdo."
Simon's eyes softened as he listened toher words. He squeezed her hand in return, adoration shining in his gaze."Thank you, Charlotte," he whispered. “Now, lest you think I’m aboutto abandon you for work, keep in mind that I do have a nice, romantic eveningplanned for our next date. That way, we can have some alone time before Roxannegets here for her visit.”
Charlotte leaned in closer, capturinghis lips in a tender kiss. It was in that moment, with the taste of mint chipice cream still lingering on his lips, that a thought sparked within her mind.
"Simon," she murmured againsthis mouth, pulling away gently, "what if instead of our usual dinnerstogether, you come over for breakfast before heading off to the fishing fleetof the next few weeks?"
Simon pulled back slightly to look ather, a curious smile playing on his lips. "Breakfast?" he repeated,raising an eyebrow.
Charlotte nodded. "Yes," shereplied playfully. "We can start the day together, sharing a meal. And youknow, The Crown is closer to the pier than your place, so if it would help yourschedule to just spend the night…"
A wide grin spread across Simon's faceas he considered her proposition. He chuckled softly and brushed a strand ofhair behind her ear. "I love the way you think," he said huskily."Breakfast with you sounds like the perfect way to start any day."
Charlotte blushed at Simon's response,her heart swelling with affection. She imagined the two of them sharing cozybreakfasts in the mornings, sipping steaming cups of coffee, and indulging inwarm pastries while the sun rose over the pier. It would be their own littletradition, a way to connect even when their schedules pulled them in differentdirections. They stood and strolled along the moonlit pier, the soft waves outin the dark seeming to whisper tales of countless romances that had blossomed intheir presence.
But as much as she cherished their timetogether, reality had its demands. With the inn guests to attend to comemorning and Simon's responsibilities growing with his expanding fleet, somesacrifices had to be made for the sake of their individual passions. And he hadreminded Charlotte—though she hadn’t really forgotten—that her sister would beflying in to visit in a week.
After their treat was finished,Charlotte turned to Simon. “So, not to cut things short, but what if we grabtakeout and just relax at The Crown for the evening, instead of going out? Youhave to be at the pier early, and I’ll have guests first thing…”
Simon nodded. “That sounds great. Now,”he said as they turned toward where his truck was parked, “Do you prefer ‘Goodmorning, beautiful, or ‘Good morning, love?’" he asked. "And maybewhen you wake up, you can tell me that you missed me while you were sleeping.”
Charlotte beamed, leaning in to givehim another kiss. No matter what the future held, she knew that with Simon byher side, she was exactly where she belonged. She may not have gotten theproposal she hoped for, but she knew without a doubt that her future with Simonwas destined to be filled with love.
Now, she had only to fret over makingeverything perfect for her sister’s upcoming visit, and there was a week to dothat. Roxanne would be here before Charlotte knew it—and the time couldn’t gofast enough.
CHAPTER TWO
The next morning, Charlotte smiledwarmly as she handed the key to the elderly couple standing before her."Welcome to The Crown Inn. I hope you enjoy your stay with us. Your roomis just up the stairs and to the left. Please let me know if you need anythingat all."
