Page 14 of Summer Affair

They finished their shopping together, chatting and laughing as they made their way through the store. They checked out and headed to their cars, and she drove back to her house with Dean following her. She struggled with the women’s words as she drove. She might not have the conventional life that Tiffany and Heather valued, but she had good friends and a fulfilling job. And, perhaps most importantly, she was learning to embrace and love her unique path in life.

Besides, she had one of the sexiest men in town coming over to her place for dinner. God, she hoped she’d remembered to clean her place before she’d left that morning. Thankfully, Dean knew where she lived, so she left his truck at a red light a few blocks away from the store and sped home. She took those extra moments before he arrived to make sure everything was in place.

Just as she heard Dean’s truck pull up, she threw a bra into her bedroom and shut the door.

She glanced through the window and saw him walking up her sidewalk, his silhouette outlined by the fading light of the day. Her heart did a little flip—Dean’s visit was hitting her differently than all the other times he’d been over to her place.

She’d inherited the house from her grandmother after she’d passed a few years back, much to the dismay of the rest of her family. It was nestled along Deer Lake, with a stunning view of the Gulf of Mexico out the back and the lake out the front. The huge back deck overlooked the white sandy beach of the Gulf and was perfect for a relaxing evening.

She opened the door and greeted Dean with a warm smile. “Come on in. Dinner won’t take me long to grill. We can enjoy the sunset out on the back deck while we wait.”

Dean stepped inside, taking in the cozy, beachy decor of her small house. “This place is really incredible. The view of the Gulf is always amazing during a sunset.”

“Thanks. It’s my little slice of paradise. Want a beer?” she asked.

“Sure.” Dean followed her into the kitchen. “Can I help?” he asked as she handed him a cold can of local 30A beer and opened one for herself.

“There’s not much to do.” She thought quickly. “Just keep me company while I throw everything together.”

“What’s on the menu?” he asked, sitting down at the small bar area to watch her.

“Grilled fish and fresh veggies,” Andrea replied. She walked out to the back deck and turned on the gas grill to warm up. “I hope you’re hungry.”

“Starving,” Dean said, leaning against the counter as she got to work seasoning the fish and wrapping the two fillets up in tinfoil with butter, herbs, and the veggies. As she worked, Andrea couldn’t help but notice how at ease Dean seemed in her home. He leaned against the kitchen island and watched her with interest as she worked.

“How long have you been living here now?” he asked after taking a sip of his beer.

“A few years now, since my grandma Rosa passed. She shocked the whole family by leaving me this place. I thought about selling it, but I decided to move in after a particularly rough patch a few years back. This place helped me find peace and start fresh,” she admitted. “I think that’s what Rosa intended.”

Dean nodded towards the dying sunlight in the distance through the large back windows. “I can see why. It’s beautiful here.”

They continued to talk about her grandmother and all the years she’d been alone after her grandfather had passed. Rosa had spent those lonely years traveling, taking cruises, seeing the sites of the world. There were photos of her travels throughout the house. Egypt, Rome, China, Alaska, Australia, you name it, Rosa had visited there at one point in her life.

When the fish and beans and asparagus were ready to go on the grill, she stepped outside and motioned for him to follow her. While she put the packets of food on the heat, he walked over and leaned on the railing of the deck.

“Amazing view,” he said when she came over and stood next to him.

“As good as the view from the campgrounds?” she asked.

He glanced over at her, his eyes quickly running over her face. “Better.” He took another drink of his beer.

The sky was a canvas of oranges, pinks, and purples as the sun dipped just below the horizon. She agreed completely. This was the best view in town. Maybe it felt that way because it was all hers.

It only took a few minutes for the food to cook, but by the time the air was filled with the scent of the food, the sky was completely dark.

“In a few weeks sunset will be an hour from now.” She sighed as she walked over and removed the food from the heat. The light on her back deck was on a timer and turned on automatically. She took a moment to carefully plate the fish and vegetables.

“It will be nice to get off work and still have some daylight,” he said as he sat down at the round table where she often enjoyed dinner outside.

“It’s not as fancy as something Issac would make,” she joked as she set the plate of food down in front of him.

“It’s perfect,” he told her as she sat across from him.

“Cheers,” Dean said, raising his beer.

“Cheers,” Andrea echoed, clinking her beer can against his.

They dug into their meal, the flavors of the grilled fish and veggies perfectly complementing the serene atmosphere.