and smiling.
At that moment, with his heart pounding from the adrenaline ride, he felt it beat even more furiously for her. Waving back at Mitch, he trotted toward her.
“Good morning,” he said, panting from the exertion.
“You looked pretty good out there,” she said, smiling up at him. “A little like a tasty seal, but I didn’t see any hungry sharks.”
Bennett laughed. “We’ve never seen sharks that close in Summer Beach.” He stretched his legs. “It felt great to be out on the water. Maybe I’m not as creaky as I thought.”
Ivy inclined her head. “I’d say you’re a long way from creaky.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He eased down beside her on the wide, flat rock and gave her a wet kiss on the cheek just to hear her sweet laughter.
Bennett had been feeling more at ease with her, and he could tell that she was feeling that way, too. He saw her love for him growing in the natural way she brushed against him or leaned into him while they spoke. The light in her eyes shone brighter when she saw him.
Mitch trotted across the sand with his surfboard. “Time to start the coffee,” he called out as he headed toward the private beach showers before going to Java Beach. “Keep the board and the wetsuit until you get your own.”
“Thanks, will do,” Bennett said. Would he go out again? Sure, he thought. He liked the idea of alternating surfing with running.
After he’d caught his breath, Bennett slid off the rock and held out his hand to Ivy. “Shall we walk back to the inn together?”
“Sure,” she replied, taking his hand.
Holding her hand and tucking the surfboard under his other arm, he started toward the inn. The sun was warm on his face, and gulls glided lazily over the water. Right now, he felt like the happiest man in the world with Ivy beside him.
As they walked, they talked about the usual things—new guests at the inn, news about town, their plans for the day. Bennett avoided talking about Darla or the bets placed against them. They existed—for a little while—in a world of their own.
Bennett squeezed her hand. “Can you get away this weekend?” he asked.
“Is this the surprise you’ve been planning?” Ivy looked up and smiled coyly.
“You remembered,” he said, surprised. He shouldn’t have been, though. Where he was concerned, he’d found that Ivy remembered even the little things: how he liked his coffee, his favorite wine glass, or where he’d left his sunglasses in the house.
“Well, it’s one of the surprises,” he said as he stepped onto the rear terrace of the inn. Near the stairs to his garage apartment, he paused. “Could you spend a day with me this weekend?”
“Saturday is better,” she said, shading her eyes with her hand. “I’ll ask Shelly or Poppy to cover for me. Just tell me what to wear.”
He tapped the tip of her nose. “A sundress and sandals would be perfect.”
As Bennett climbed the stairs, he couldn’t resist looking back at her. This was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. But first, he had to make sure she felt as strongly as he did.
Even though they were engaged, he could still feel a slight hesitation on her part. He respected that. Ivy was a smart woman, and it had only been two years since her husband died. Long enough for some people, but not for others. And in matters of the heart, Ivy was a cautious woman.
No doubt about it, Ivy would challenge him. And he liked that about her.
On Saturday morning, the sun streamed through Bennett’s windows. He rolled out of bed, thankful that it wasn’t raining. He showered quickly and met Ivy in the dining room for breakfast.
Ivy wore a green linen sundress with a wrist full of silver bracelets and the necklace that Bennett had given her at Christmas. The V-neckline perfectly framed the antique emerald cabochon on its platinum chain. “How is this?” she asked.
“Perfect,” he said, smiling when he saw her necklace. “I’m glad you like that.” He’d found it at Antique Times. It matched her eyes and brought out the color even more.
“I love it.” She threaded her arm through his. “So, where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” he said, teasing her.
“Shall we take the convertible or your SUV?”
“If you don’t mind, the old Chevy would be great. I can drive for you.”
Ivy smiled at him. “I would like that.”
After breakfast, Bennett opened the door to