7
946 Words
Chapter 7
The Things We Don't Say
The first time Leah realized she missed Marco...
He wasn't even gone for a day.
Mrs. Dawson looked up from kneading bread dough and smiled knowingly.
"You've checked your phone six times. Sunshine"
Leah frowned.
"I have not."
"You just did again."
Leah glanced down at the screen in her hand.
No messages.
She sighed.
"He said he had work today."
"And?"
"And nothing."
Mrs. Dawson wiped flour from her hands.
"So why do you keep looking?"
Leah opened her mouth.
Closed it again.
"I don't know."
The older woman laughed softly.
"Oh, sweetheart."
---
Marco wasn't having a good day.
A storm two nights earlier had damaged several fishing boats, and he'd spent the entire morning helping at the marina.
His hands were covered in grease.
His shirt clung to his back with sweat.
By lunchtime, all he wanted was a cold drink and a shower.
Instead...
He found himself walking toward Mrs. Dawson's bed-and-breakfast.
He stopped halfway down the street.
"What am I doing?"
He laughed quietly to himself.
He knew exactly what he was doing.
---
Leah was watering flowers on the front porch when she looked up.
A smile spread across her face before she could stop it.
"You survived."
Marco held up his dirty hands dramatically.
"Barely."
"You look terrible."
"I've heard that before."
"You smell like engine oil."
He sniffed his sleeve.
"...That's fair."
She laughed.
"I was just about to make lemonade."
His eyes lit up.
"You make lemonade?"
"I can."
"That wasn't the question."
She rolled her eyes.
"Come inside."
---
Half an hour later...
The kitchen looked like a disaster.
There were lemons everywhere.
Sugar spilled across the counter.
Marco somehow managed to squeeze lemon juice into his own eye.
Leah laughed so hard she had to lean against the refrigerator.
"I didn't know that was physically possible."
"I have many talents."
"You Clearly do."
He blinked repeatedly.
"I can't see."
"You're being dramatic."
"I think I've gone blind."
She walked over with a damp towel.
"Hold still."
He did.
Very gently, she dabbed the corner of his eye.
"There."
He looked at her.
She was standing closer than either of them realized.
Neither moved.
Mrs. Dawson chose that exact moment to walk into the kitchen.
She stopped.
Looked at them.
Then quietly reached into the cupboard for a teacup.
"I'll pretend I didn't interrupt."
Leah jumped back.
"You didn't interrupt anything."
"Mhm."
Mrs. Dawson poured herself tea.
"I've reached an age where I don't argue with obvious things."
Marco rubbed the back of his neck.
"We were making lemonade."
Mrs. Dawson looked at the messy kitchen.
"I can see that."
---
That evening, they walked along the beach as the tide rolled in.
The wind was cooler than usual.
Leah slipped off her sandals, letting the waves wash over her feet.
"I got a job."
Marco stopped walking.
"You did?"
She nodded excitedly.
"The bookstore."
His face broke into a grin.
"Leah, that's amazing."
"I start Monday."
"I'm proud of you."
The words caught her off guard.
No one had ever sounded proud of her for something so... ordinary.
"It's just a bookstore."
"So?"
"I've never had a real job before."
Marco smiled.
"Then this is your first."
She laughed.
"When you say it like that, it sounds important."
"But It is important."
He looked at her.
"You built something for yourself."
The words hit her.
Not because of her father.
Not because of money.
Not because of obligation.
Because she chose it.
She did it.
Her eyes stung unexpectedly.
"Thank you."
---
As they continued walking, they passed a small carnival setting up on the edge of town.
Workers hung colorful lights while children peeked through the fences.
Marco looked over.
"Wanna sneak in?"
Leah stared at him.
"They're still setting up."
"Exactly."
"That's trespassing."
"It's exploring."
"It's illegal."
"It's adventurous."
She folded her arms.
"No."
Five minutes later...
She found herself climbing over the fence behind him.
"I can't believe I'm doing this."
Marco grinned.
"I knew you'd come."
"Don't sound so confident."
"I know you."
She smiled.
"Do you?"
"I think I'm starting to."
They wandered through the empty carnival, laughing as they tried guessing which games would be impossible to win.
Marco climbed onto the stationary Ferris wheel platform.
"Imagine the view from up there."
Leah joined him.
"It must be beautiful."
One of the workers noticed them.
"Hey!"
Marco looked down.
"...Run."
Leah burst into laughter.
"You got us caught!"
"Details!"
They sprinted through the empty carnival, laughing so hard neither of them could breathe.
By the time they reached the beach, both of them were out of breath.
Leah leaned against him, still laughing.
"I blame you that was on you."
"You came willingly."
"I clearly make terrible decisions."
"The best ones usually are."
For a moment...
The laughter faded.
They looked at each other.
Closer than ever before.
Marco slowly reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
His fingers lingered for the briefest second.
Leah's heart hammered against her ribs.
She wondered if he could hear it.
A loud whistle echoed from the carnival behind them.
They both jumped apart.
Marco cleared his throat.
"I should..."
"Yeah."
"I'll see you tomorrow."
She nodded.
"Tomorrow."
He smiled one last time before walking away.
Halfway down the beach...
He turned around.
She was still standing there.
Watching him.
She smiled and waved.
He waved back.
Neither of them noticed the black SUV parked beneath the trees.
Inside, Richard Bennett's investigator lowered his camera after capturing the moment.
He sent the photograph with a single message.
**They're falling in love**
- Writer
