“It’d be nice to have a summer home here,” Leon hums, gazing over the blue-hued buildings of Hulbury. He takes a lick from his ice cream cone. “Like a little townhouse or something – wouldn’t that be nice?”
“Definitely nice,” you agree, taking a taste of your own frozen treat. “I love the market here, too, it has so much character.”
This trip to Hulbury wasn’t on your to-do list this evening – in fact, the only thing you originally had on your agenda was ‘work’, ‘work’, and ‘work.’ On a 5-minute break you saw an ad for the Captain’s Table, but when you casually mentioned to Leon that you had never been to the famous seafood restaurant, he insisted that he take you for a late lunch, promising to only steal you away from your work for an hour or two. You had tried to be responsible and leave immediately after your meal (as to not take more time out of his busy schedule), but Leon had given you such a sad, puppy-dog pout that you quickly sat back down. You justified it in that you could probably use a break from work, and yet something strange pulled in your stomach when Leon said you deserve to be spoiled sometimes. What a strange comment from a friend… a comment that made your heart patter in your chest.
So, here you are, certainly more than two hours later, dessert in hand, still strolling the white-bricked sidewalks. The salty air was just as invigorating as the summer sun, though the ocean breeze did have a bit of a bite now that the sun was beginning to set. The oranges, reds, and pinks of the sky complimented the crisp cerulean of the sea and dusty blues of the town, beautiful enough for you to tug on Leon’s sleeve to steer him to a bench overlooking the water.
You sit in silence for a while, simply watching the waves, the sunset, and the sailors on the pier. You both finish your treats and chat a bit, though Leon seems to be watching you more than he is the sunset. After a few minutes of your eyes flicking to him just to meet his gaze, you finally let out a sigh.
“What?” you huff, letting a smile slip despite yourself.
“What?” Leon repeats, mirroring your grin.
“Why do you keep looking at me?” you ask, squinting your eyes playfully. “Do I have something on my face?”
“No,” Leon says simply, though he certainly doesn’t look away. “I’m just… I’m glad you came with me today. It’s nice spending time with you.”
You blink a few times as the warmth of a blush creeps into your cheeks – or perhaps that’s just the summer heat? You feel a warmth around your shoulders too as Leon shrugs off his jacket and curtains it over you instead.
“We should do this again sometime,” he says. His arm stays slung over the back of the bench.
You nod, hesitantly leaning into him. The cool dusk air doesn’t seem so bad now that Leon’s arm makes it from the bench to around your shoulders, yet again making your heart tumble in your chest, just as the waves tumble onto the shore.
