Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There was something about him. Even before Lucy Chen looked at who came through the door, she knew who it was walking into the bar, but she did not want to give away how happy she was that he had arrived, so she paid extra attention to polishing the glass in her hand and waited until he settled on a stool in front of her to casually look at him and ever so naturally greet him with a simple, “Hey, Tim. Do you want your usual?”

“Make it a whiskey tonight,” Tim Bradford responded. He glanced around Amy’s Place, which had become his favorite local bar to frequent for over a year mostly because of the captivating part time bartender standing across the bar from him in a low cut black t shirt and jeans.

“Uh oh,” she said and read his somewhat sour face. “What happened?” She poured him a double shot of whiskey and set it on the bar for him.

“Angela’s about to kill me. I need some liquid courage for that.” He took the first sip and sighed as it burned his throat.

“She’s not gonna kill you. You’re her best friend.”

“Not after last night’s disaster of a date.”

“She set you up again?”

He sighed as he nodded. “I don’t get what her obsession is with setting me up. She got engaged, and all of a sudden, she can’t stop playing matchmaker.”

“Which is very thoughtful of her. She wants to see you happy.”

“I’m not happy with all of these boring dates.”

“Are they boring, or are you writing all of your dates off before really giving them a chance?”

He tilted his head. “Don’t do that shrink thing with me. I’m not one of your patients.”

“I know, and this isn’t my office. We’re just talking,” she replied coolly.

“Feels a little like you’re trying to be my therapist.”

“I’m just trying to help. Look, you’ve been divorced for a while. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to get back on the horse.” She lowered her voice to add, “But no one would judge you if you aren’t ready.”

“This has nothing to do with Isabel,” he insisted. “I would be ready for the right person, but Angela sucks at setting me up. That’s all it is. There’s no deeper meaning for you to analyze.”

“Okay, okay,” Lucy said, backing off. “Then what was the problem with your date last night?”

“She went on and on about her workout routine like it was all that was interesting about her.”

“You do realize that other than work, you come here to get a drink, watch sports, and work out?”

Tim pursed his lips at her. “But that’s not all I talk about.”

“You sure about that?” She asked smartly.

Mildly offended, he sat up straighter. “That never seems to bother you.”

“I’m a bartender. It’s my job to listen no matter how boring someone is.”

His lips parted in surprise, and he was about to sass her back, but she sashayed away to serve a customer at the other end of the bar.

When she returned to Tim, he was scowling, so she leaned over the wooden bar and offered him a soft smile. “I’m sorry,” she apologized quietly. “I think you’re the most interesting customer that comes in here, and you know I’m not just saying that considering I spend more of my time on shift talking to you than doing my actual job.”

“You could just quit and sit on this side of the bar with me,” he offered, feeling his rough edges soften thanks to her kindness.

Her chest warmed picturing him and her sharing drinks and laughs like they were meant to be hanging out together almost like a date, but she could not indulge that thought any longer. “This bar is my aunt’s place, and she needs the help. Besides, the tips are helping me pay off all of those years of medical school, since my job doesn’t pay much.”

“You got a job already? Didn’t you just graduate from school a few weeks ago?”

“I did,” she answered happily.

“Congrats.”

“Thank you.” She brightened.

“So tell me about this job.”

Lucy rested her elbow on the bar to prop her head up. She hoped she was not blushing when she told him, “You were actually a big inspiration.” She saw the corners of his mouth subtly curl, which always made her heart skip a beat. “I, uh, I’m going to be a psychiatrist for the LAPD. I’ll be helping cops like you process what happens on the job and stuff.”

“You’re going to work for the LAPD?”

“I start on Monday.”

He almost could not believe it. “Wow.”

She could not decipher what his expression meant, so she asked, “Do you think it’s a bad idea?”

“No, no, I think it’s good. If you hadn’t demanded that I check out the LAPD shrinks last year, I’d probably be in a very different place right now.”

“You had just filed for divorce back then, which definitely isn’t easy. I’m always happy to talk to you about anything, but I thought a professional would help more with that. Not to mention some of the insane stuff that’s happened to you on shift…you should talk to someone more qualified than me about that.”

“More qualified? Aren’t you about to work with the other LAPD shrinks?”

“Now that I’ve finished school, yes, but you started coming in here while I was still in school. To be honest, there’s still a lot more for me to learn while I’m actually working with patients.”

“You can practice on me.”

She stood up straight and shook her head. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable with that. I wouldn’t want to see you as a patient.” She could not have a patient she harbored the tiniest bit of a crush on; that would be unprofessional.

“Because I’m too broken?”

Lucy’s stomach twisted. “You aren’t broken, Tim. Don’t say that. I just meant that we’ve been friends for a while now. It would be wrong to be your psychiatrist, since doctors shouldn’t be friends with their patients.”

He was fine with being her friend with a bar separating them; that was how she liked their relationship to be, and he was willing to accept her company any way he could get it. “Guess I’ll stick with Dr. Coleman.” His therapist that he had been seeing for a year, Dr. Coleman, had become a permanent fixture in his life just like Lucy had.

“Good. He’s been a great help. I can tell.”

“You sure it’s Dr. Coleman?”

“Who else would it be?” She wondered.

He wanted to laugh; surely, she must have figured out her positive effect on him. His own therapist had pointed it out during multiple sessions, and he assumed, since she was just as emotionally intelligent, that she had come to the same conclusion. Because he struggled to find the right words to explain that to her despite opening his mouth and trying to sound out a few words, his window of opportunity closed as a patron approached the bar with a large drink order that would keep her busy for a few minutes. The only other bar employee he knew well, Tamara Collins, stepped over to restock the bar glasses while giving him one of those looks she always flashed him. “What?” He asked, since he did not have the patience for her usual antics.

“You know,” Tamara said knowingly, “at the bar, you have to share her with all of the customers trying to get her attention. If you ask her out, she’ll be all yours for the night.”

He blinked rapidly. “I-I…I…” After thinking he had been so composed around Lucy and not obvious about his budding feelings for her, he hated that someone, especially Tamara, had figured it out.

“Maybe I’m not a shrink like Lucy, but I can tell when two people are into each other, and you two definitely are,” Tamara explained how she drew her conclusion without him needing to ask.

“She doesn’t…,” he could not even finish the sentence. His hope betrayed him, and he asked both quietly and eagerly, “Does she?”

Tamara giggled. “You’re an idiot.”

Lucy wiped her hands on her jeans as she neared Tamara, and she heard her final statement. “Don’t call Tim an idiot,” she said.

“You’ve said he’s an idiot before,” Tamara shot back.

“Because I’m allowed to give him a hard time. You aren’t.”

“Old people flirting is weird.”

Since she could not address the “flirting” aspect of Tamara’s comment, Lucy went with the other part. “Who are you calling old? I’m like five years older than you.”

“Closer to ten,” Tamara sassed.

Annoyed, she clicked her tongue. “Go back to bussing tables.” Tamara walked away with a roll of her eyes, then Lucy diverted her attention back to Tim to ask, “What were you two talking about?”

“Nothing,” he lied weakly.

She would have pressed him for details, because it was certainly not “nothing” as he falsely claimed, but the front door of the bar opened, and a horde of men entered rather raucously. “I have to deal with these guys. I’ll be back to check on you in a bit,” she said.

Tim was always an observant person, but there was a distinct way in which he watched Lucy at work; he paid special attention to everyone that interacted with her, so even if he could not hear the exchanges, he could tell who was hitting on her, who was being a difficult customer, and who she actually enjoyed serving. Most of the time, he watched guys ogle her and clearly make bad attempts to ask her out, which she always so gracefully turned down, making him exhale in relief. He was so engrossed in observing Lucy that he did not realize Angela Lopez had slid onto the stool next to him.

Angela followed his eye line and was unsurprised to see that he was staring at a certain bartender that always captured his attention. “Sorry I’m late. I had to finish some stuff up at the station. I can’t stay long, but I want to hear about last night.”

He cleared his throat and peeled his eyes away from Lucy to answer, “It was fine.”

“Just fine is okay for a first date. You’re not always gonna feel sparks right away. So when’s the next date?”

“There isn’t going to be one.”

Angela wanted to scream but did her best to keep her composure. “Seriously?”

“She was nice, but it’s not going to work out.”

“You figured that out over dinner one time?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“You should give a woman more of a chance than one night.”

“I could’ve given Dana a hundred chances, and I wouldn’t have change my mind.”

“Her name was Donna. The nice woman you went on a date with last night thanks to all of my hard word setting you up is named Donna.”

“Sorry, Donna,” he corrected himself.

Lucy walked over and grinned. “Hey, Angela. I’ll get you a ginger ale.”

“Thank you,” Angela replied gratefully.

“How’s the morning sickness? Has it lessened up at all?” Lucy wondered.

“Only a little. I’m still drinking ginger ale all the time.” She rubbed her growing baby bump and smiled when she was poured the only drink that soothed the queasy feeling that persisted. “You’re the best.” She eyed Tim then said, “Lucy, since Tim listens to you, maybe you could knock some sense into him. I keep arranging very nice first dates for him, and he hasn’t been interested in going on any second dates afterwards.”

“Why have you been so determined to get him a girlfriend lately?” Lucy wondered.

“Because Isabel’s in his rearview mirror, and it’s about time he found someone new,” Angela justified. “I’m sick of him moping around like a sad, pathetic, single man.”

“I don’t mope,” Tim spat out.

“You do for the most part unless we’re drinking here, so I’m determined to get you a girlfriend. It’s my new project.”

“Don’t you have a wedding to plan?”

“My future mother-in-law has completely taken over planning everything, and now that it’s going to be a destination wedding in a different time zone, I don’t mind having her deal with all of the nightmare logistics.”

“A destination wedding,” Lucy piped up. “Sounds fun. Where are you getting married?”

“Hawaiʻi. It’s going to be beautiful. We’re getting married at the most stunning resort, and they can fit us in in a few weeks, so we’ll still get to have a small ceremony with only close friends and family. It’s going to be perfect,” Angela answered dreamily then tapped Tim’s hand. “That means tomorrow, since you have the day off, we’re going wedding dress shopping. I don’t have a lot of time to pick one out, and as my Man of Honor, it’s your job to make sure I look good.”

“Dress shopping? Really?” Tim grimaced.

“You agreed to be my Man of Honor. It comes with the job.”

“What else comes with the job?”

“I need your help with seating arrangements.” An idea occurred to her, so she grinned widely. “And we’ll make sure your date sits right next to you at the reception.”

He was confused. “I’m not taking a date to your wedding.”

“Oh, you definitely are. I want to make sure you really give someone a chance, so I’m going to set you up at my wedding. The long wedding weekend filled with activities for five days will give you plenty of time to get to know whoever I pick for you.”

“A blind date at a destination wedding?” He thought he might be sick. “No way. That sounds like torture.”

“I’m dead set on this. You are taking a plus one to my wedding, and since you can’t find a date for yourself, I’ll find one for you.”

“What if you pick the wrong person for me for the millionth time?”

“If at the end of all of the wedding stuff, you don’t like your date, I’ll be fine with it, because you spent more than one dinner with her, which is more than I can say for all of your failed first dates.”

Tim would not have been opposed to getting on his hands and knees to beg. “Ang, it’s not gonna work out with whoever you pick for me, so don’t make me spend five days with them. We’ll both just be miserable.”

She finished the last of her ginger ale and stood up. “I’ve already made up my mind. You will have a date to my wedding no matter what you say.” She looked to Lucy and added, “Add my drink to his tab,” and with that, she strutted out of Amy’s Place.

He slumped his shoulders forward and exhaled heavily into the remnants of his drink. “Can I get another?”

Lucy obliged and poured him more whiskey while providing her opinion, “I think Angela’s heart is in the right place.”

“Doesn’t mean it’s not a terrible idea. She’s been setting me up with people for months, and all of the dates have been failures. Being on an island won’t change the outcome of one of her setups.”

“You never know. Hawaiʻi is gorgeous. I’ve always wanted to go. There are some amazing hiking trails and really stunning sunsets.”

“A sunset isn’t gonna change my mind about one of Angela’s friends,” he insisted then raked a hand through his hair. “I guess I have to accept the fact that her wedding is going to kill me.”

“It won’t be that bad.”

“You remember when I told you about the terrible date I went on with the lady that told me she talked to her sourdough starter everyday? What if Angela picks out someone else like her?”

She snickered. “I don’t think you can bring a sourdough starter through airport security, so you might be good.”

He blew out a laugh. “Small miracle.” The way her smile reached her eyes was almost too mesmerizing. She was the most magnetic person he had ever met, moreover, she always managed to make him feel lighter no matter what.

Every so often, they had a moment. Their eyes would meet, and there would be something different in his gaze that made her pulse jump. During those moments, she was at his mercy, dazed until he blinked away whatever kept her entranced. When he finally did, breaking the tension between them, she offered, “If you’re really that worried, I’ll go with you to the wedding.” The words had not been fully processed; it was the thought at the top of her mind, and because he had thrown her off balance, the idea flew out of her mouth without considering the ramifications of making such a suggestion.

“You…you would go to Angela’s wedding with me?” He was certain he was not breathing well or at all, because even the idea of Lucy being his date knocked the air out of his lungs.

“As friends, of course…I just…,” her cheeks darkened, “I’m sorry, forget I said anything.”

“Would it be so bad to be my date?”

“Not at all. I…I don’t think you want me to be your date.”

“Why not?”

She merely shrugged, unsure how to answer that question. “I guess there are worse options. I don’t have a sourdough starter, but if I did, I wouldn’t talk to it.”

He smirked. “But you do talk to your plants, which isn’t much better.”

“I sing to them, which studies show helps with plant growth.” She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said, “I can’t believe I told you that.”

“For a bartender whose job it is to listen, you talk a lot.”

She wanted to be offended, but she knew he was right. “Only with you,” she admitted honestly, and her stomach flipped when his reaction was happy, almost like he was honored to be treated differently than her other customers. Fearing she might say more that could potentially give away her feelings, she decided to change the subject and ask, “So do you know which island the wedding will be on?”

“Oahu,” he remembered.

Lucy gasped. “That’s where the Waimea Falls are,” she recalled. “I’ve heard it’s one of the most beautiful hikes in the country, and the waterfall is so stunning.”

“You wanna check it out?”

“Hell yes!” She nodded enthusiastically. “Here’s the deal: I’ll be your date to Angela’s wedding, so she doesn’t set you up with someone, and you have to take me to Waimea Valley to hike to the waterfall.”

“Deal,” he agreed instantly, because any opportunity to spend time with her, especially for the first time outside of the bar, sounded far better than any date Angela was going to force upon him.

She scribbled her phone number onto a napkin. “Text me the details, and we’ll coordinate everything.”

“Actually, Angela’s future mother-in-law, Patrice, is paying for my flight and hotel, so I’m sure yours will be paid for, too.”

“Even better.” She grinned at him. “This’ll be fun.”

“I think so, too.” 

He pulled out his wallet, so she gestured for him to stop. “Don’t even think about it. Your drinks are on me tonight.”

“You’re the one doing me the favor,” he pointed out.

“I haven’t been on a vacation since I started grad school. Getting the chance to travel to paradise for a few days is exactly what I need right now, so believe me when I tell you this deal is mutually beneficial.”

Tim wanted to say it certainly was, because he was about to spend multiple days in the sand under the sun with one of his favorite people on the planet, but he did not want to give that away, especially since she was only willing to be his date for the chance to take a trip and probably because she felt sorry for him and his pathetic love life. “I’ll see you Thursday,” he said with a half smile and left the bar.

Because Tamara could tell Lucy was beaming brighter than the neon beer sign behind her, she went over to the bar to ask, “Did I see you give Tim your number? Did you finally ask him out?”

“I didn’t ask him out,” she said, trying not to sound too disappointed about that.

“Then what’s got you smiling like that?”

“We’re going to Hawaiʻi together.”

“Wow, you move fast. Already going on a trip as a couple already? Should I expect the wedding invitation in the mail at the end of the month?” She wondered sarcastically.

“It’s not like that. He needs a date to Angela’s destination wedding, and I volunteered, since I need a vacation.”

“Sure, sure, you’re just going to paradise with the guy you’ve had a crush on for like a year now, and you mean to tell me under that romantic Hawaiian sun nothing is going to happen? Please, that trip’s got Between the Sheets and Sex on the Beach written all over it.”

Almost choking, Lucy gasped for breath. “Tamara!” She exclaimed.

“What? Those are drink names perfect to order on a beach in one of those glasses made out of a pineapple,” she said, feigning innocence. “If your mind went somewhere else, then maybe you’re the one hoping for some sex on the beach, and no, not the cocktail.” With that, she walked away to give Lucy something to think about.

Chapter Text

Angela put a hand on Tim’s knee to stop his leg from bouncing. “What has gotten into you?” She asked. 

“I’m good,” he lied and searched the bar again; he knew Amy’s Place well and was familiar with the layout and the types of people that frequented it, so he did not need to keep looking around the way he was always keenly observing his surroundings on shift, but he was looking for someone in particular.

Tamara strutted over to report to Tim, “Lucy isn’t working tonight. Actually, she’s not working for the next week. Her aunt Amy said she needed to take time off, since she’s starting that new job and needs to relax.”

“She’ll relax in Hawaiʻi,” Tim responded. He could not believe that on a Thursday night that he usually spent at the bar with Lucy she was not present, which disrupted his routine.

“Oh,” Tamara said smugly, “I’m sure she will.” She stepped away with a knowing smirk, too amused about Lucy and Tim’s arrangement that it was hard to stop herself.

“Lucy’s going to Hawaiʻi?” Angela asked.

He scratched his neck. “I-I’ve been meaning to tell you that you don’t have to bother with setting me up on a date for your wedding, because Lucy is gonna be my date.”

Angela clapped her hands together happily. “Finally! Oh, I’m so glad you got together. It’s about time after you’ve been drooling over her for so long.”

“I don’t drool over her!” He objected vehemently, “And we’re only going as fr-”

“Don’t say the word ‘friends’,” she cut him off quickly. “You can’t take a friend to my wedding. You need to be taking a real date. Someone you’re interested in.”

The truth was that he was interested in Lucy whether he ever admitted that aloud or not, so technically, taking her fulfilled the requirement. “Yeah, she’s a real date,” he confirmed.

“I’m so happy for you two. Honestly, she’s way better for you than anyone I could’ve set you up with. She’s smart, and beautiful, and funny, and perfect! She’s perfect! You two being together is seriously the best wedding present I could ever ask for.”

Because he did not want to upset her, he did not correct her; he was not with Lucy. They agreed to go as friends. But Angela could not be told the truth. Instead, he had to tell Lucy about the slight change that needed to be made to their deal, but between her starting her new job and him being tied up helping with last minute wedding planning, they did not see each other until they met up at the airport in front of the gate where their flight to Hawaiʻi was going to depart. She walked up to him in a colorful, floral sundress that made her look radiant, and he forgot to speak.

“Be honest, how early did you get here?” Lucy inquired by way of greeting.

“I’ve been here for about an hour,” he answered.

“Of course you came so early,” she teased him sweetly. “That is so Tim of you.”

“Flights don’t wait for people, and there’s nothing wrong with being early.”

“You’re right,” she agreed, smiling. She did not realize how they had moved into each other’s space until it was too late; it seemed the bar had created a physical barrier between them that upon its removal allowed for them to stand as closely as they wanted. “I can’t believe it’s been three weeks since I last saw you.”

“I get it. You’ve got that new gig now. How’s it going?”

“Pretty well, actually. School wasn’t this exciting. Now I have real patients, and I can make a real difference.”

Her pride in her work only drew him closer to her. “Good. Does this new job mean you won’t be working part time at the bar anymore?”

“I want to strike a balance. Work’s been draining, but I don’t want to quit the bar. My aunt really needs me to help her out.”

“That’s the only reason you want to keep working there?” Deep down, he wished she felt compelled to keep her job at the bar to give them an excuse to see each other regularly.

“Well, the tips are good, too,” she replied instead of telling him the real reason she enjoyed tending bar was that he would be there every couple of nights talking to her and making her laugh when she was not serving customers.

“Right,” he replied tightly.

“But, I would miss some of the customers more than anything.”

Even without her saying which specific customers she was referring to, he knew he was one of them, and that made him grin. A voice spoke over the intercom announcing that boarding for their flight would begin any minute, so he trained his eyes on the gate and almost gasped when Lucy turned and knocked her shoulder into his bicep, which seemed to compel her to wrap her arm around his. She acted as though it was so easy to touch him like they had made such physical contact before, but they never had. On a rare occasion, she had brushed his hand, and one time, he came in with a cut on his face after quite the altercation during a tough call, and she helped him put ice on the spot where it hurt and caressed his face with care. Otherwise, there was a bar defining the boundary between them.

Angela trotted over smiling proudly. “You two are such a cute couple,” she mused before gesturing to Wes to follow along where he was dragging their luggage.

Lucy did not expect someone to call them a couple; she was so drawn to him like a magnet that she could not even control her body’s reaction to him being around her when he was not on the other side of a bar from her, but that did not make them a couple. It sounded nice. But not something that would ever happen.

Tim leaned into her and whispered, “We should talk.”

Unsure what they needed to talk about, she stepped away from the line of passengers waiting to board, and he moved along with her since their arms were linked. Lucy gazed up at him waiting for him to speak about what was on his mind.

“So…,” he paused to gulp then carried on, “Angela…Angela said I couldn’t take a friend to her wedding, because of this crusade she’s on about getting me to date again, so she sorta thinks…” He had no idea how to tell her the assumption his best friend made considering how it could send Lucy running.

“We’re a couple,” she finished for him, noting how his lips parted at the statement, and then she registered that she was squarely staring at his mouth and needed to force her eyes to meet his instead. “That’s okay. I get it.”

“It’s not like we have to pretend or anything. We’ll just be one of those couples that don’t do PDA.”

She pulled her arm away from his. “Got it.” 

He hated that she withdrew from him, so he amended to, “Unless you want to…w-whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“I-I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.” She could not believe she was actually blushing. She felt like she was perpetually embarrassing herself in front of him.

“Me? N-no, I’m good with, uh...,” he gestured between them like that was a good explanation, and since words were failing him, he reached out to take her hand.

With one simple gesture, her heart was sent aflutter. The wordless question on his face prompted her to say, “Yeah, this is okay.”

Tim walked with her hand in hand onto the plane and over to their seats that were next to each other. Holding hands with her was fine; it barely changed his heart rate, and she stroked her thumb across his every so often in a way that felt easy and comfortable. He almost wanted to keep their fingers intertwined for the flight.

Lucy pulled out her tablet and offered him one of her wireless earbuds. “Wanna watch ‘Top Chef’ with me? I know you only watch dumb documentaries and sports, but I think you might like this show.”

He wondered when they had learned everything about each other, because she even knew his taste in television, which was why he insisted, “I don’t do cooking shows.”

“You’ve never given one a chance. I’ve begged you to try one at least ten times.”

“They sound dumb.”

“So do nature documentaries, but I watched the one about seahorses to make you happy.”

“Documentaries are educational. You’re welcome.”

“I almost fell asleep ten times, but I did like the part about the seahorses mating for life. That was sweet.”

He rolled his eyes. “You’re a romantic.”

“Don’t act like you aren’t secretly one, too.” She saw him furrow his brow, so she shook her head. “Oh, don’t pull that crap with me. I know you so well.”

Normally, when people understood him to such a degree, he felt exposed in an unsettling way, but she was someone that did not judge him or make him feel like being seen would only open him up to heartache; it was the exact opposite. “Too well, ” he responded thoughtfully with the ghost of a smile.

“So trust me when I tell you that you won’t hate this show if you give it a chance.” She offered the earbud to him again and coaxed him to acquiesce with a gentle but knowing, “Go on.”

He gave in, and they binged as many episodes as they could watch for the duration of the flight; she proved she was right; he did not hate the show, and moreover, he liked how she leaned into him to hold the tablet between them, and when she had a comment, she whispered it directly in his ear in a way that made the short hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Spending a long weekend with her in Hawaiʻi was going to be enjoyable even if it was going to destroy him, he thought.

Until he checked into the hotel and found out that he and Lucy were given only one room to share.

Lucy told herself not to panic. Sharing a hotel room with him would not be that difficult.

They would figure out how to cohabitate platonically, and nothing was going to happen just because they were standing in a room with only one bed.

Tim shifted his weight between his feet as he took in the room with one king bed, one couch, one bathroom, one closet, one set of drawers, and one coffee table. One of everything. But there were two of them. “I’ll take the couch,” he volunteered, since that seemed like the only available solution.

“No, it’s your best friend’s wedding. I’ll take the couch.” 

“I would never let a woman take a couch.”

“Tim, I have to insist on sleeping on the couch.”

“Actually, I have to insist on sleeping on the couch.”

She put a hand on her hip. “Why are you always so stubborn?”

“Why are you?”

She huffed. “Fine, I’ll take the bed unless you start getting too uncomfortable on the couch, and then we’ll swap.”

“Deal.”

“We’re pretty good at making deals, you know.”

“I think we are,” he agreed. She was quite easy to get along with in the sense that he would say ‘yes’ to almost anything she wanted thanks to the effect she had on him.

“Do we need to make a deal about where to have lunch, because I’m starving.”

“There’s a whole itinerary of activities for the weekend. Patrice, that’s Angela’s future mother-in-law, went a little overboard with planning.”

Lucy picked up one of the welcome gift bags they were provided, because they each got their own bag yet not their own rooms. Amongst the treats was a piece of paper, and she scanned it, fascinated. “Wow, the only way this could be more thorough is if there were bathroom breaks listed.”

He chuckled. “True, but you’ll notice there’s a break Friday morning. I asked Angela if we could make space in the itinerary for us to go on that hike you mentioned.”

“Really?”

“A deal’s a deal,” he replied simply.

Suddenly, maintaining eye contact with him was too intense, and she thought they might start a fire any second, so she returned her attention to the itinerary. “Looks like today’s lunch is at the pool, and then we’re supposed to hang out there until welcome cocktails at sunset on the beach. I guess we should change.” She opened her suitcase and asked, “Do you mind if l use the bathroom first?”

“Be my guest.”

Quickly, she changed into a bright orange bikini and wrapped a white sarong around her hips. She was distractedly piling her hair into a bun, so she did not notice him staring at her when she exited the bathroom.

His eyes tracked her body up and down like he was imagining her. She always looked pretty, and on a few occasions she wore somewhat revealing articles of clothing at the bar, but he had never seen so much of her gorgeous honey skin before.

“Aren’t you going to change, too?” Lucy wondered, since he was just standing there in the middle of the hotel room, and there was a schedule they were meant to keep.

“Yup,” he replied as naturally as he could, grabbed a pair of swim trunks, and went into the bathroom where he could finally breathe. She was pretty, and smart, and funny, and also apparently the sexiest woman he had ever seen. He was starting to regret bringing her to Hawaiʻi with him.

Endlessly captivated by the expansive and picturesque resort, Lucy opted for them to take the long route from their room to the pool to explore the lounges, the veranda, and a few of the restaurants. “I don’t think I’ve ever stayed in a place this nice.”

“Sorry we only have the one room.”

“We’ll make it work, and besides, it’s so worth it, because look at this resort.” They stepped out onto the pool deck, and she gasped. “Oh my God, this is gorgeous. I’m going to be taking a million pictures this week.” She pulled her phone out and snapped a few photos of the view of the infinity pool surrounded by palm trees. “Tamara is going to be so jealous.”

“I can’t believe things are working out so well with your puppy.”

“Don’t call her my puppy. She’s like a sister to me.”

“You brought her home when she was literally living off the street like a lost puppy.”

“And now she’s the best roommate ever, and I’m so grateful to have her in my life. You can be wrong about stuff sometimes.”

“That was one time. I haven’t been wrong since.”

“Shut up,” she scoffed. “Now, introduce me to all of the people you know here. It’s about time I put faces to the names of everyone I’ve heard so many stories about.” She wound an arm around his to allow him to escort them through the group congregating around the pool.

Tim knew Lucy could get along with anyone, since she was so personable, so he was not surprised that she clicked with his colleagues that felt more like family than most of his blood relatives. Seeing her get along so well with most of the important people in his life was a reminder that she was important to him, too; she was not just the bartender at his favorite bar; she was one of his closest friends. A friend that looked breathtaking in a bikini. But breathing was unnecessary when he could spend the afternoon basking in her beauty that put the bright Hawaiian sun to shame.

𖤓 ₊⁺+ ❀ +⁺₊ 𖤓 ₊⁺+ ❀ +⁺₊ 𖤓

Tamara was giddy when she saw that Lucy was calling, so she answered with a dramatic swipe of her finger across the screen and grinned. “How’s the Sex on the Beach over there?” She asked smugly by way of greeting.

“You better be talking about the drink,” Lucy warned. 

“Sure I am.” She had to put a hand over her mouth to keep from giggling.

“I was just calling to check in with you.”

“You don’t have to worry about me. I’m good. Are you?”

“Definitely. I’ve only been here for a few hours, but I feel so relaxed. I didn’t realize how much I needed a vacation until I got here.”

Tim heard Lucy’s voice, so he poked his head out of the bathroom and said, “I can’t hear you.”

“Oh,” Lucy exhaled. “Sorry, I wasn’t talking to you. I’m on the phone with Tamara.” She gestured to the device she was holding to her ear and gave him a smile.

“Alright. I’ll be ready to go in a few minutes.”

“No rush.”

Tamara, who had overheard the entire exchange had to laugh. “Are you with him right now?”

“We’re in the same room.”

She gasped. “You’re in his hotel room right now, and you’re talking to me instead of making a move on him?”

“No moves will be made, okay?”

“Then why are you in his room?”

Lucy worried at her bottom lip. “So…we’re sort of…sharing a room.”

She guffawed. “This is amazing!”

“Patrice Evers was generous enough to pay for a room and the flight for Tim and I. We couldn’t ask for another room.”

“You could’ve paid for it yourself.”

“There wasn’t any availability. Wes and Angela’s families booked the place out.”

“How convenient,” Tamara commented, rather amused by the whole scenario.

“Look, it’s not weird or anything. He has a couch to sleep on.”

“You have to admit that a little part of you wants him to get into that bed with you.”

Lucy stared at the large bed that was tidily made with fresh white linens, and she could almost picture Tim sprawled out on the mattress with her. She had to shake her head to stop the vision from becoming too real. “Nothing like that is going to happen.”

“You’re there for a few more days. A lot can happen in that time.”

“I don’t think so.” She hated that her voice came out disappointed, betraying the deep desire beneath her words.

“He did bring you as a date to a wedding in Hawaiʻi,” she felt the need to remind her.

“I’m just his platonic plus one.”

“You sure about that?”

Tim emerged from the bathroom and immediately noticed the furrow of Lucy’s brow. “You okay?” He asked quietly. “Is something wrong with Tamara or your aunt?”

“No,” Lucy answered as her voice shook. “I’m all good. I just need to grab my purse, and we can go.” She returned her attention to her phone and said, “I’ll talk to you later. Bye, Tamara.”

“Have fun,” Tamara responded knowingly before hanging up.

Lucy turned, and Tim was right there holding out her purse for her, so she gave him an appreciative smile before taking it from him. They walked together down to the beach just in time for pinks and oranges to color the sky as the sun began to set. “Wow, this is beautiful.”

He had been so entranced admiring how she looked in her long back dress with a low neckline dotted with flowers and her hair cascading down her shoulders; the rest of the view had been forgotten with her looking so stunning beside him. Her words aptly described the sight in his field of vision, which happened to be her and only her. “Yeah, it is,” he agreed softly.

She felt him staring and turned her head. When she met his gaze, she was surprised to see such a vulnerable look in his eyes she had hardly ever seen before. He might as well have been squeezing her heart the way he seemed to be marveling at her. 

Wes strutted over and said, “Aloha,” before putting an orchid lei around Lucy’s neck. “My mom has me greeting everyone and giving the ladies their leis, so welcome, thanks for coming for our wedding, and enjoy the open bar.”

Though Wes appeared and disappeared rather quickly, it was enough for Tim to blink away whatever spell Lucy had casted on him, since it must have been magic spellbinding him.

“Wes mentioned there’s an open bar. Wanna grab a drink?” Lucy asked, and he nodded. She ordered for them, since she knew his favorite beer and waited for their drinks to be poured.

“Since when do you drink fancy cocktails?” He asked, because she asked the bartender to make her something colorful that came with an umbrella and a straw.

“I’m in Hawaiʻi where the Mai Tai was first invented. I figured I had to order it at least once.”

“Do you even like them?”

“I’ve never had a Mai Tai,” she admitted. “Just because I know how to make one doesn’t mean I’ve tried it before.” She took one sip and grimaced.

He chuckled. “Is it that bad?”

“Not my thing,” she admitted and took his beer from him to wash the taste of her drink out of her mouth. “I think I’ll stick with what I know.”

“That’s my beer,” he pointed out.

She brought the glass to her lips for a generous gulp and smirked. “It’s mine now.” He gave her an annoyed expression that made her chuckle. “Let’s sit and watch the sunset,” she suggested.

He followed her further down the beach away from the rest of the partygoers and the string lights meant to illuminate the night, but he preferred that they peeled away from everyone else to be somewhat alone.

Lucy lowered herself onto the warm sand, and since Tim did not immediately join her, she glanced up at him and patted the spot next to her.

“I hate sand,” he protested. “It gets everywhere.”

“You can shower off when we go back to our room. Being low and close to the water is the best way to watch the sun set,” she reasoned.

He sighed as he gave in, plopping down unhappily onto the sand in a way that his thigh was pressed to hers. With his lips pursed because of how annoyed he was that she had convinced him to actually sit on the beach, he snatched the beer away from her then held it as far away from her as his wingspan would allow.

“Seriously?” She giggled and reached for the glass. “Can’t you share?”

“It was mine first.”

“But you should share.” When he did not seem to be willing to give her back the drink, she added a more emphatic, “Tim!” Only then did Lucy register that her torso was against his as her much shorter arm held onto his forearm with the beer too far to grab.

“No,” he rumbled and stared down at her. Her face was mere inches away from his, and he was so tempted to kiss her. He had, of course, felt that inkling before a few times, but the urge had never been so strong thanks to their proximity, her easy smile, and the way the golden hues of the sky reflected in her amber irises. His eyes dropped to her parted lips as she did the same. It would have been the perfect moment to bridge the almost nonexistent gap between them. He wanted to more than he could say. But the rational side of his brain implored him to resist, so he did. Tim pressed the beer into her palm and whispered, “Here.”

She knew the moment was over, but the heat from his gaze remained, making her nerves buzz. Never before had she suspected Tim might like her, but the way he looked at her was unmistakable. Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance something might happen between them before they left the island.

Chapter Text

Lucy was so excited when she read off the itinerary while brushing her teeth. “Tim!” She shouted with a mouth full of toothpaste, so she spat it out as he padded over to the bathroom.

“What?” Tim asked as he went into the bathroom thinking there was an emergency.

“Did you see what’s on the schedule for today?” She waved the paper in front of him to show him.

He circled his fingers around her wrist to stop her hand from moving so he could actually read the sheet. “Does that say ‘Beach Pentathlon’?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! This is going to be so fun!”

“What is a ‘Beach Pentathlon’?”

“I don’t know, but it’s got to be some sort of competition, which we’ll totally crush, since both of us like to win.”

He smirked. “That we do.”

“I’m so ready!”

His eyes dropped to her pajamas, and he said, “I think you have to change first.”

“I know, I know. I’ll be fast, and you have to get moving, too! We’ve got a competition to win!”

Tim loved that she loved winning just as much as he did, which made her the perfect teammate for whatever their day was going to entail.

Angela, since she determined she was too pregnant to participate, decided that she would be in charge of the Beach Pentathlon. Friends and family gathered on the sand in athletic wear and swimsuits ready for the challenges, and she wanted to begin with a few remarks, “Hey, everyone. I know we’re all here for mine and Wes’ wedding, and that means we’ll all become one big family soon enough, but that’s on Saturday when we actually have the ceremony. Today, it’s every team for themselves in an exciting competition we’re calling a pentathlon, because there will be five games to participate in, and the team that does the best in all of them will win. Wes will be tallying up points after each of the five games. First place of each game gets three points, second place gets two points, and third place gets one point. We’ll total up how many points every team has at the end of all of the games, and our winners will get a special prize. Who’s ready to dominate?” Everyone cheered, which brought a smile to her face. “Our first game is a sandcastle making competition. Patrice will judge based on size and style. Everyone, make some room on the sand so every team has space to work.”

Lucy found a good spot close to the water, which was a strategic decision, since she wanted to utilize some wet sand.

“You all have thirty minutes. On your marks, get set…,” Angela said, then checked her watch, and blew the whistle.

“I don’t know if we should’ve given you a whistle,” Wes muttered.

“You’re never taking this thing away from me now,” she proclaimed.

Tim was not comfortable kneeling in the sand, especially with the waves lapping by his feet.

After Lucy shared her vision for their sandcastle, she saw how squeamish he looked. “You really hate the ocean more than you let on, huh?”

“You don’t know what’s in there,” he explained.

“We can move to a different spot.”

“No, we’ll waste time, and we need to win.”

“We don’t have to participate at all. I know you hate the ocean and the sand, so this must be a nightmare for you.”

“I’ll manage,” he guaranteed, because he was willing to face a fear for the sake of a victory and certainly to make Lucy happy. She had quite the affinity for sandcastles, which surprised him, since he did not know that was a real skill set. He sat back and watched her work unless she asked him to place sand in a certain spot to which he complied.

While her finger ran over one of the walls to add some detail to the castle, she complimented him, “You’ve been doing a good job.”

“You’re the one that knows what you’re doing. I have no idea how to do this.”

“I mean with the sand and the water. You’re handling it really well, and I’m proud of you.”

His cheeks felt warm because of the praise.

Angela blew her whistle, ignoring Wes’ grumbling about how she should not have such power, and announced, “Time’s up! Patrice is coming around now to judge.”

Tim got to his feet first then offered a hand to help Lucy stand, which she took, and surprisingly, she kept holding onto him. “I think we’re a shoe-in,” he noted upon observing the other sandcastles.

“Oh, totally,” Lucy agreed happily and stood up tall on her tip toes to peck his cheek. “Thanks for sticking with me on the beach.”

“No problem,” he replied, willing to sit in the sand for a full day if it earned him another kiss.

“I’m not trying to psychoanalyze you about your fear of the ocean, but I get it. You clearly hate the ocean, because you hate the unknown and everything you can’t control.”

He frowned at her assessment. “I’m not a control freak.”

“You sort of are, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

“Sounds like a bad thing. Add it to the list of all of my horrible qualities.”

“I don’t think you have a single bad quality,” she said, having gotten carried away in the conversation and the way their fingers were slotted together, so she did not properly realize what she had said before it was too late. She did not want to make her feelings for him to be so obvious, yet she had, and she felt foolish. She might have tried taking her words back or salvaging what she said so as not to give away how she felt so openly, but Angela blew the whistle again.

“Alright, the votes are in,” Angela called out, “First place, earning three points, goes to Tim and Lucy!”

Patrice wanted to correct her future daughter-in-law that she deemed Wade and Luna Grey’s sandcastle to win first place and Tim and Lucy’s was supposed to win second, but she could tell there was a scheme afoot, so she clapped for the winners instead.

Thankfully, because Tim and Lucy were both equally competitive and skilled, they actually won coconut bowling without Angela having to interfere, earning them another three points on the leaderboard before the third game, which was a tug of war tournament that she was curious to watch unfold.

Because he did not expect the Beach Pentathlon to be so physical, Tim was surprised when Lucy pulled his front flush against her back.

“Stay close to me the whole time,” she instructed quietly and angled her head up to catch his eye where he was standing right behind her. “That’s how we’ll win the tug of war.” Behind the fire of competition setting her alight so was the welcome burning sensation of his body with hers.

He swallowed thickly as his response. They had never been closer, and he never wanted to be further apart from her ever again. Once the whistle sounded, he tugged the rope with all of his might while she did, too, and she had practically fallen against him while they worked together to pull the rope successfully to their side of the line in their face offs with each and every set of opponents until they won each round.

When Angela announced that Tim and Lucy were the winners, she saw how Lucy launched herself into Tim’s arms, and she grinned seeing them together. She called for a five minute break before the commencement of game four, which was the three-legged race.

Tim knelt down to tie the rope around his and Lucy’s calves and strategized, “We should count our steps to move down the sand as fast as we can.”

“Good plan. I think it would also help if you hold me.”

He froze just as he had finished tightening the knot. After the tug of war, he did not know how much more invasion of her personal space he could manage before doing something that would be crossing an imaginary line between them that felt as real the bar that usually divided them with him on one side and her on the other, but when she cozied into his side and wound her arms around his midsection to prepare for the start of the game, there was not a single centimeter of space between them, and there was nothing he could do other than blink.

“Aren’t you going to put your arm around me, too?” She murmured into his chest, and he nodded before doing as she asked. She felt protected where she was surrounded by him. She liked it. She wanted to bottle the feeling to experience it again and again on demand. Tim’s boss, Wade, and his wife were deceptively quick and came in first place, but Lucy did not mind taking second place if only to give her more time with Tim holding her.

With the sound of a whistle, Angela grinned and called out, “Great win for the Grey’s! Tim and Lucy are still in the lead with one last game in the Beach Pentathlon left. Take a five minute break while we set up the water balloon toss.” As she sat on a beach chair, she directed her fiancée to inflate water balloons and set them out in a row. Once the break was over, she blew her whistle to get everyone’s attention and instructed, “The rules of the final game are simple. Every team gets a water balloon. You’ll toss it to your partner, and if they catch it, they’ll take a step back before throwing it back to you to make each throw harder and harder. If you don’t catch it, your team loses, and you’ll probably pop your balloon and get wet. This’ll be fun. Wes, show everyone where to line up.” When he finished directing every set of partners to stand equidistant from one another, she gave her whistle a dramatically large blow, and the game began. She was only interested in watching how Tim and Lucy interacted, which was quite similar to the way they chatted at the bar together. They were exchanging smiles and warm glances with every toss of their water balloon, and they handled the challenge with ease. Good teamwork was certainly a sign of their strong compatibility, so it was quite the sight to see. The strongest teammates all day were the happily married couples and Tim and Lucy. That had to be a good sign. Luna and Wade Grey were stiff competitors throwing and catching their water balloon quite expertly, so she thought there was a chance Tim and Lucy might lose the game.

Lucy gently lobbed the water balloon over to Tim. “Okay, easy,” she coached him before he prepared to toss it back, since they had taken several steps back and created a very large distance between them that was growing more difficult to bridge.

“Don’t you trust me?” He shot back.

“Should I?” She asked to which he pursed his lips, so she honestly said, “I do trust you.”

He appreciated that, because he trusted her, too. “Alright,” he replied and gave her a look, begging her to focus, since making the rest of their catches would require the utmost amount of concentration. She gave him a confident nod to signal that she was ready, so he released the water balloon, but as it sailed in the air, he realized that he had not used enough might, and they were about to lose. But then Lucy did the impossible. She dove, throwing her body toward the sand with her arms outstretched. Tim heard a water balloon break and whipped his head in the direction of the sound to see a balloon explode all over Wade’s face. With bated breath, he watched his own water balloon careen towards the sand thinking it was only a matter of time before it bursted. But then the unexpected happen.

Lucy caught the balloon.

She had the sunniest, proudest smile on her face as she exhaled deeply with a sheen of sweat on her forehead. Tim stared at her, surprised by the move and more so entranced by how she dove so gracefully to make such a save.

Enthusiastically, she got to her feet with the balloon above her head and cheered. “We did it!” She proclaimed and ran right into his arms. Because she did not realize how tightly she clung to him, the water balloon broke against Tim’s back.

He froze because of the unexpected rush of cold water on his skin.

“Sorry, sorry,” she apologized and dropped away to see his reaction.

“Did you do that on purpose because I made you dive?”

“What? No! It was a total accident!”

He looked at her suspiciously. “I don’t believe you.”

“I swear!” She promised.

He shook his head, unsure, then scooped her up in his arms and ran into the ocean with her to get her wet.

She squealed as she held onto him, the shock of the chilly temperature of the water prompting her to keep his source of body heat close.

“Now you know how it feels,” he said.

“Mine was a total accident. You did this on purpose.”

“You are a lying liar who lies,” he playfully accused her and spun around with her in his arms to get her even more wet.

“I’m serious!” She insisted then looked down not only at how he was carrying her snugly against him so effortlessly, but also felt the need to point out, “You realize you’re in the ocean right now.”

He had not registered what he was doing having been so focused on his retribution. “Guess I am.”

“And it’s not so scary.”

“We don’t know what’s in here.”

“You and me. That’s all that’s in here. See? Not as terrible as you thought.”

He liked that it was just the two of them. She was right; the ocean was not so bad when it only contained them and only them. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw movement beneath the water’s surface and practically jumped. “Nope! We’re not alone! We’re not alone!” He said, alarmed, and carried her out of the ocean with him as quickly as he could.

She smoothed her hand over his racing heart. “It was probably just a fish. You’re okay.”

“What if it wasn’t a fish? There could be a dead body in there,” he reasoned.

“That is so dark. There could also be beautiful fish, and cool rocks, and interesting sea creatures.”

“Poisonous sea creatures! There are poisonous sea creatures!” He reminded her.

Angela sounded her whistle to get their attention. “Excuse me!” She called. “I’d like to announce the winners of today’s Beach Pentathlon, and that’s Tim and Lucy!”

Lucy did a victory wiggle while still being held by Tim, and then he set her back down on the sand. She clapped for herself happily, since she quite liked winning. “Do we get a trophy?” She asked. “I love trophies.”

“No trophy, but you and Tim won an even better prize,” Angela assured her. “While the rest of us will be kayaking tomorrow, you and Tim will get to go on a special romantic excursion. How about a round of applause for our winners?”

While everyone applauded, Wes leaned into Angela and quietly asked, “Are you planning something?”

“What makes you think I am?” She wondered at a whisper.

“You’re always planning something.” He eyed Tim with Lucy and gathered, “This is about his girlfriend, right? You don’t approve?”

“I very much approve. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to him. The only one that hasn’t realized that is Tim.”

He wiggled his eyebrows at her mischievously. “Let me help.”

She smirked. “Have I mentioned I love you?”

“Make sure to say that at the altar on Saturday,” he shot back and gave her a quick kiss. “I have a knack for appreciating great women. I think I can make sure Tim sees things the way I do.”

Angela grinned conspiratorially.

𖤓 ₊⁺+ ❀ +⁺₊ 𖤓 ₊⁺+ ❀ +⁺₊ 𖤓

Tamara answered Lucy’s call with a scowl and asked into her device, “Shouldn’t you be spending some quality time with Tim right now?”

Lucy pursed her lips, since she did not like the tone she used when saying the phrase “quality time”. “He’s in the shower,” she told her.

“Why aren’t you in the shower with him?”

“Tamara!” She gasped and glanced at the closed bathroom door, grateful Tim could not hear the conversation.

“Just saying you should join him.”

“Why are you pushing this so hard?”

“Because I want to see you happy for more than just the few hours a week Tim shows up at the bar, because let’s be honest, you glow around him.”

“I don’t glow.”

“Like a neon sign,” Tamara confirmed. “So how’s the trip going if you aren’t spending it having some Screaming Orgasms?”

“The drink, right? You’re talking about the drink.”

“Wouldn’t matter. You’re not having either sadly. How are you spending all of that time in Hawaiʻi if it isn’t in the shower with Tim?”

“Actually, we won this really fun competition this morning. We whipped everyone’s asses. It was so fun! Then, we hung out on the beach for a while with everyone. Tim fell asleep, and he started snoring. It was so cute.”

Tamara bit her tongue instead of pointing out how obvious Lucy was making her feelings for Tim. “What are you two doing once he gets out of the shower?”

“We’re going to a luau. I’m kind of excited. I’ll get to learn how to hula dance.”

“Hula dancing, huh? I bet Tim will love watching you do that.”

She blushed. “You think?”

“He checks you out on a normal day. I’m sure he’ll check you out while you’re dancing.”

Lucy’s face felt hot. “You think he checks me out?”

“Only all the time. See for yourself tonight.”

“If he…if he checks me out…do you think…is there a chance he-”

“One thousand percent,” Tamara cut her off to promise her. “He definitely likes you, so you should go for it. Find somewhere romantic, which won’t be too hard considering you’re on a stunning island, and do something about the fact that you clearly like each other.”

“I did get a vibe from him last night, but…I wasn’t sure, and I don’t want to do anything that would cross a line.”

“What’s wrong with crossing a line?”

“I see him all the time. If I screw it up…”

“Then he’ll find a different bar.”

“We’re stuck in the same hotel room for the next few days. If he doesn’t feel the same way, that’ll make things super awkward. Maybe I should wait until we’re back in L.A..”

“You’re such a wimp.”

Lucy rolled her eyes and heard the bathroom door open. “I have to go. We’ll talk tomorrow. Bye.”

Tim walked out of the bathroom and asked, “How’s Tamara?”

“She’s good,” she answered. “Did you hear us talking?” She hoped that was not the case, but she was not sure.

“No, I just assumed. You ready for the luau?” He reached for her purse knowing she would need it and offered it to her.

“Thank you,” she replied. “Let’s go.” She moved in lock step with him out of their room and over to the oceanfront lawn with tables of food and lined with tiki torches. She heard the sound of the ukulele playing a sweet melody as she took in the lovely scenery at twilight. “I don’t think I ever want to leave this island,” she said with awe.

He thought about staying, too; he would get to stay in a room with her every night and enjoy the days under the tropical sun with her. That was his definition of paradise.

Lucy grinned when she was given a white lei, a fragrant flower necklace she was able to admire.

Wes approached them and said, “Congrats on that win today. You two make a great team.”

She looked up at Tim and responded, “Yeah, I think we do.”

“I didn’t even know Tim had a girlfriend, so I would love to hear how you two met,” Wes pressed. When he saw Lucy open her mouth, he titled his head and added, “I’d like to hear the story from Tim.”

Tim cleared his throat. “Well…I walked into her aunt’s bar one day, and the rest was history.”

“Oh, come on, there’s gotta be more to the story than that.”

Tim eyed Lucy, who gazed up at him expectantly like she was intrigued to hear what he would say, then answered, “My usual bar got shut down, so I drove down the road to the next open one, and it happened to be Amy’s Place. I sat at the bar, and this bartender told me before I could order that I needed ice.”

“Ice? Why?”

“His knuckles were red. He must’ve gotten into a big fight before he showed up at the bar,” Lucy chimed in. “I gave him ice and then poured him a beer.”

“Sounds like she gave you exactly what you needed,” Wes deduced. “And not just what you wanted.”

Lucy smiled. She liked that version of the day they met. “I was just trying to keep him alive. Couldn’t have one of my customers die in my bar,” she joked.

“Bloody knuckles couldn’t kill me,” Tim shot back.

“You’ve shown up to the bar in rougher shape a few times since then, actually,” she recalled.

“Guess nothing could keep him away from you,” Wes noted, smirking. “Must not have taken too long to realize how much he likes you.”

Lucy’s heart stammered. She hoped that was true like Tamara said, but she could not be sure.

Tim did not know what to say without giving his feelings away, so he remained quiet.

Wes clapped Tim on the back and told him, “You’ve got yourself a keeper. If you catch that bouquet on Saturday, we might be going to your wedding next.” With that he walked away.

Too nervous to meet Tim’s eye, Lucy looked over at the musicians performing and asked, “Do you want to listen to the music?”

He followed her over to the band and was thinking about what to say about Wes’ comment about his feelings, then Angela grabbed Lucy’s hand and pulled her over to the group of women instructing female guests how to hula dance. 

Since she learned the moves rather quickly, Lucy was enjoying herself dancing, and she took a chance to find Tim amongst the group of men watching. He was staring at her, seemingly enthralled by her, which made her pulse jump. It was a good sign but not confirmation of anything. When her lesson ended and it was time for the professionals to perform, she enjoyed some Kalua Pig as she watched the skillful dancers. Everyone was invited to join in to dance along with the Hawaiian performers, and Lucy jumped at the chance to not only practice the hula more but to also test the waters more; she wanted to be certain he was checking her out. The way the firelight flickered in his eyes that were tracking her up and down from from head to toe left very little room for interpretation. After he, He had not stopped staring while she danced, ogling her with a fervor that was getting harder to deny, so she felt a surge of boldness and grabbed Tim by the wrist to bring him close. She stopped moving and gazed up at him. “Are you having fun?”

“Yup,” he replied simply.

“This isn’t your scene, is it?”

“I’ve never been to a luau before.”

“Neither have I, but it’s growing on me.” She was grateful there had been a bar between them for so long, because now that it was gone, she was having trouble being anywhere but right in his space thrumming with the energy pulsating between them that intensified all of the time. Up close, his stare was not as covetous but softer and more tender somehow, which only made her want to melt. 

He could tell from the shape of her grin that she was having a great time, which was all that mattered to him. “You plan on showing off these new moves at the wedding?”

“Maybe. You’ll have to join me on the dance floor to find out,” she flirted to test his reaction.

“Save me a dance then.”

Lucy liked his answer. She liked that he sounded flirty, too, and that his voice was rich with desire that signaled that he might like her, too, or maybe that was just her hope clouding her point of view.

Angela went over and said, “Go on back to your room and enjoy some alone time. The luau’s basically over.”

Tim wanted to point out the music was still playing and plenty of people were enjoying the food and festivities, but he learned a long time ago not to debate with his best friend. Instead, he retrieved Lucy’s purse from the table where she had set it down and strolled back to their room with her.

After washing off her makeup and changing into her pajamas, she looked at herself in the bathroom mirror still feeling trace amounts of that bravery that overtook while she danced, and she stepped out to see him setting up the couch. Lucy helped him smooth the sheet over the cushions then sat down on the edge of the seat. “Tim?” She asked quietly.

“Uh oh,” he said, noting her tone. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, no, nothing like that. I wanted to talk about…” She scanned the small hotel room that felt like it was getting smaller by the second. “About the weekend.”

“I thought you liked it here. I know we haven’t gone on that hike yet, but we will tomorrow. I’ll keep up my end of the deal. I swear.”

“Yeah, I know we’ll go on the hike tomorrow, and even without seeing the waterfall, I’m loving Hawaiʻi. This has been…better than I thought.”

“That’s good, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“There’s no problem.” She put her hand on his knee. “Being here with you has been…,” she tried to think of the right word, but the only descriptor she could come up with was, “amazing,” which sounded feeble as she said it, because being around him was better than any word in the English dictionary. “Which is why…” Lucy’s throat trembled. She had her chance to be honest. She could say she liked him and had liked him for a while. She could lay out her suspicion that he might feel similarly. 

But she lost her nerve.

“Which is why I wanted to say…that I’m really grateful you brought me with you on this trip. Thank you.”

“Sure,” he replied and tried reading her expression, because he presumed she was going to say something else, but he took her at her word and continued, “I should be the one thanking you for being my plus one.”

“Any time,” she replied and sprung up to her feet. “I’m going to bed now.”

Tim felt like there was more she wanted to say, but he did not press. Instead, he watched her crawl under the covers of the bed then padded into the bathroom.

Lucy pulled the sheets up high over her shoulders and exhaled shakily. She wished she could be stronger and more confident. She wished she could cross the hotel room and just kiss him. She wished she could explain to him that he had been sending her heart fluttering for months if not a year. She wished she could change their deal from some platonic arrangement into something more. If only she had the courage.