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“Oh, what’s your specialty?”
“Frittatas with a mix of meat and veg.”
“Yum.”
“Breakfast at my place sometime?”
Oh man. I couldn’t believe I’d said that. That implied a second date. Was that too much? Would it be a date that began the evening before or a breakfast-only date? I willed myself to keep my expression even.
“I’d love that.” His smile was big and warmed me through.
We ate in comfortable silence for a few moments, enjoying the company, the food, and the view. Ethan’s vibe kept me from needing to fill the space.
“Can I ask you something without getting us into a bad place?” Ethan’s voice carried hesitation.
I put my fork down to give him my full attention. “Yes. Please ask.”
“What were your plans for this place?” He paused and looked at me as if trying to decide if he should continue. “I’ve been curious ever since you mentioned wanting to turn it into a camp.”
My temper threatened to flare, and I tamped it down. I hoped my face didn’t telegraph that. He was interested, and there was no need to get mad at that. I took a sip of tea, gathering my thoughts.
“I wanted to create a summer camp for queer youth. Something small to start—a few weeks of the summer. Not everyone gets to grow up experiencing the inclusiveness we have here. A camp run by people who embrace all that Maplewood stands for would be great for anyone to experience.”
Ethan nodded encouragingly, and the words began flowing more easily.
“I imagined arts programs, sports clinics, nature activities. I want to give kids a community where they are valued and supported and send them home with new friends they can stay in touch with.” I shrugged, suddenly self-conscious. “It’s just an idea.”
“It’s a beautiful idea.” Ethan’s voice was soft, sincere. “What were you looking at for funding?”
“I’ve got some money already promised if I can secure land. There are other grants I can apply for too. Plus I’ve been saving for years because I’ve had this in my head for a while.” I smiled ruefully.
He reached across the table and his fingers interlaced with mine, sending that now-familiar spark up my arm. “Don’t let the idea go. There are so many options. Maybe we could work on it together.”
The possibility hung in the air. Before I could respond, Ethan squeezed my hand and stood up.
“Want to take a walk? This place is beautiful at this time of day, and I’d love to show you around.”
“I’d like that.” The idea of walking somewhere that wasn’t around town with him thrilled me. And he’d raised the prospect of working together on the camp.
We cleared the dishes, working in easy synchronization. We agreed that the pie could wait as a post-walk treat.
The evening air was perfect as we stepped off the deck, a pleasant temperature with low humidity. Ethan led the way down a well-worn path, our shoulders occasionally brushing as we walked.
“I think I told you I used to come here all the time as a kid.” He glanced at me sometimes as he talked. “We’d play hockey in the winter. And in summer, we’d spend hours exploring trails, swimming, and goofing off.”
The path wound through a grove of maple trees, their leaves creating patterns of shadow and light on the ground. Without discussion, our hands found each other, fingers intertwining.
“It must feel surreal owning it now.”
“A little, yeah.” He squeezed my hand. “Good surreal, though. Like everything’s coming full circle.”
We emerged from the trees near the pond, where the setting sun painted the surface in shades of gold and pink. A pair of ducks glided across the surface, leaving ripples in their wake.
“I can see why you love it here.” I watched the ducks dip underwater and pop back up. “It’s peaceful.”
“It is.” Ethan turned to face me, his expression thoughtful.
He raised my hand and brought it to his lips, planting soft kisses on my knuckles.
