had just returned from fishing trips, so we stood around and watched the mates filet their catches. After, we had a drink outside at the dockside bar. He ordered a beer, and I ordered a virgin strawberry margarita, since I was driving.
“So have you decided where you’re going to apply once you’re certified?” he asked.
“I’d like to find a leave-replacement job somewhere close to home, if possible.”
Mark’s forehead wrinkled. “You want a temp position? Not a tenure-track one?”
I sipped my frosty drink. “Yeah. I’ve been toying with the idea of getting a year of experience and then doing a year in Italy teaching after that.”
“Wow. That’ll certainly make finding a position late in the summer much easier. Most people prefer something permanent.”
“It’s the first time in my life that I’m able to make choices for only myself. Ryan is away at college for three more years. I want to take advantage.”
Mark smiled, and his eyes roamed my face.
“What?”
He shrugged. “Nothing. I just find a woman who likes an adventure sexy.”
Not sure how to respond to that, I filled my mouth with enough frosty drink to get a brain freeze.
“You ready to get going?” I asked. “I’ll show you a few beaches before it gets dark. The parking is terrible by the ones the surfers frequent, but if you don’t mind the walk, they’re really pretty.”
“That sounds fantastic.” Mark stood and went behind my chair, waiting for me to stand so he could pull it out.
He was really such a nice guy, such a gentleman. When I’d pondered whether something could grow between us after he’d asked me on a date, I’d thought maybe if I saw him outside our regular setting where we studied, I might see him in a different light. But the few hours I’d spent with him today proved what I’d suspected—there was no spark. Or maybe it wasn’t the last few hours that had proven anything to me, but the hours this morning with Ford where the sparks had been so strong, I still felt the burn.
***
I’d shown Mark around pretty much all of Montauk, and it was dark by the time I drove him back to town to where he’d parked. I pulled up behind his car and left my engine idling.
“Well, this was a really nice surprise, Mark. And I’d totally forgotten how pretty some of the beaches we stopped by today are. I tend to stay on the beach right behind my house, but I’m definitely going to be revisiting a few of the local ones we saw. I needed this little tour today.”
“So your house is right on the beach, then?”
I nodded. “It’s up on stilts, so the backyard is the sand.”
“Wow. Would it be too much to ask to see it before I head back?”
I really wanted to just go home, shower, and climb into bed, but I felt funny saying no. “Ummm…sure. It’s not too far from town. Right down Old Montauk Highway.”
“I’ll follow you.”
“Okay.”
On the short drive to my house, I started to get antsy for some reason. I knew it was stupid, because Ford and I weren’t dating or anything. Yet for some reason, I didn’t want him to see me pull up with Mark. Not to mention, whatever anxiousness I felt, whether right or wrong, was ridiculous because Ford wasn’t even in Montauk tonight. Bella had said he planned to spend the night in the city.
Except he must’ve had a change of plans…
The moment my headlights turned into the driveway, they landed on a set of eyes next door. Ford was sitting on the front steps of his house drinking a beer. The looming bit of anxiousness I’d felt suddenly turned into full-blown panic.
I took a few deep breaths as I parked, telling myself I was being ridiculous and wasn’t doing anything wrong. I could drag Mark back to the house to sleep with him, if I wanted to. In fact, that’s probably exactly what I should be doing tonight.
In the rearview mirror, I could see that Mark had started to get out of his car, so I had to suck it up. My house and Ford’s were only about twenty feet apart. It wasn’t like I could pretend I didn’t see him sitting there.
Mark met me at my car door when I got out and closed it for me. We walked a few steps toward the front stairs, and my eyes locked with Ford’s. He didn’t say a word, just watched me silently as he drank