Foraged Love in a Berry Grove - Love Tales from Santa Margarita Island Book 1

Chapter 9 - Courting Dorks Be Like...

Beth was convinced she's about to go into shock, if there was a pleasant version of it. She had no doubt it was potentially fatal, all this havoc that her systems were experiencing. Fortunately, the overall effect was quite delicious.

Tingles continuously ran up and down her arm, as electricity shot off from where their hands joined. Her chest thundered, her heartbeat galloping at Man o' War pace. Her eyes were deliriously bright with delight as they took in the achingly handsome face in front of her. Her stomach was churning up acid and some of her lunch, thanks to her nerves going absolutely berserk.

Beth tried to appear composed and lucid, even if her insides felt the complete opposite. She hung on his words as he told her about his childhood growing up in Michigan. Stupidly, she wished she could have been his mother so she could have witnessed all those adorable years. This was bad. Her biological clock gonged an alarm, its pendulum clanging back and forth like crazy as her uterus roiled, craving to hold Gage's babies. Beth fought to get a freaking grip.

"So, that's me. Mom, Dad, and two younger brothers. My brothers were still in high school and middle school when my parents moved to Arizona, so they went along. I was already in Michigan in Ann Arbor, so I ended up staying put." Gage squeezed her hand, which was still clasped with his. It all felt surreal. "What about you? Do you have more siblings than the four with you today? How did your family end up here on the island?"

"Well, it's just the five of us, plus our mom and dad, of course. My maternal and paternal grandmothers both come from pioneering families, also both insular Spaniards. My dad's mom was Alicia Montoya – yes, the boat was named after her – and she married my biological grandfather, a GI named Hans Cohen. My mom's mama was Lucía Saavedra. She married a Macanese named João Dinis. That's why we look like we do, but our kind is pretty common in Santa Margarita. We have lots of descendants of insulares, expats from the multinational companies that invested here as well as families of retired GIs from the former naval base. Of course, there are also the overstaying tourists who fell in love with the island and just couldn't leave," Beth ended with a wry grin.

Gage laughed. "It sounds like you're not a fan of the tourists."

Beth shrugged, her expression turning sheepish. "They're a blessing and a curse. We're excited for the boost in business, but they can be so exhausting and annoying. Many are inconsiderate and disrespectful..." She blushed at her whiny tone. "Anyway, that's just local-speak. We like to complain about the tourists."

"Oh, I understand," Gage assured her. "I grew up in Petoskey, a resort community, so we had a similar sentiment about the tourist season."

"Hang on." Beth dropped his hand and twisted to face him. "Petoskey as in Petoskey stone?"

"Yeah?" Gage wondered where this was going.

"I have one. My Saba gave it to me. He got it as a souvenir from your town. He was a collector of curios and whatnots, but I particularly loved holding and inspecting that stone when I was little, so he gave it to me. I daydreamed about scouring Lake Michigan beaches with Saba and finding a Petoskey stone myself." She smiled sadly. "It was always on our itinerary whenever we would go to the States, but, somehow, we always ran out of time. We usually ended up extending our stay in Maryland, California, and Florida where our relatives were. And, now, he's gone." Tears momentarily shimmered in her eyes and the tip of her nose turned red.

Clearing her throat and blinking away the tears, she continued, "So that's why it's really cool to me that you're from Petoskey. That stone got me started on my rock collection too."

With a huge grin, Gage took her hand again. "You collect rocks?"

"I'm a rock hound," Beth confessed apologetically. "Also a wild crafter. I have volumes upon volumes of my own herbarium. I used to catch and release bugs as well. That was before camera phones. I used to have a journal wherein I drew the stuff I saw. Now, I just take a photo or a video. Of birds too. I have a YouTube channel for –" She trailed off, realizing what a complete dork she sounded. "So, yeah, I'm a complete nature nerd."

"You just get more and more adorably amazing by the minute," Gage declared, bringing their clasped hands to his lips so he could kiss her knuckles.

"A-hem!"

Beth sprang up and whirled around, intending to dislodge Gage's hand, but he held on. It was Carmel with a crap-eating grin. "I told you no making out on my boat!" she exclaimed in mock outrage.

"We were NOT making out!" Beth protested. Gage just laughed. So that explained the blush from Carmel's text.

"You were this close," Carmel teased as she joined them on the forward deck. "You're welcome to stay, of course, but I came here to tell you that, in more of Nikki's matchmaking efforts, she has decided to stay until closing and corralled Jordan to drive her home, so if you already want to go home, Ate, Gage will have to drive you." She unfolded a camping chair and sat on it, putting her feet up on the railing. "It's all worked out in her head. She's really committed to the cause too. I suggest taking advantage of it. I know I am. I got a painting commission out of it. Seriously though. it's nice to see Nikki back to her old bubbly self again, like before that Wandy character brainwashed her."

Beth tried to shush her, obviously in vain. She turned to Gage. "I'm sorry. Carmel doesn't pull any punches."

Carmel vehemently agreed. "Never!"

Gage shrugged. "Not a problem with me." He looked down at Beth beside him. "Want to get going?"

"Okay." Before heading off, she turned back to Carmel. "I'll see you at church tomorrow?"

Her sister gave her a squirrely look. "Probably."

"Carmel."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be there. I was just kidding." Carmel blew her a raspberry.

"Okay, then." Beth bent to kiss her sister on top of the head. "Love you."

Despite her embarrassment, Carmel mumbled "Love you too" back.

"Thanks for letting us hang out on your boat. She's a beaut." Gage told Carmel.

"That she is." She got up again to walk them back to the dock. "You be good to my sister now."

"Carmel!"

"I know people who can make cement shoes for douchebags."

"Carmel!" Turning to Gage, Beth assured him, "She doesn't."

"I can get to know some if necessary," she continued to warn Gage. "The only reason that weasel Patrick is still living is because I'm fond of his mom."

"Carmel!" Beth's tone was seriously sharp now. "Don't say stuff like that."

Carmel rolled her eyes.

"I swear on my life to always be good to Beth if you'd stop your mob boss posturing and upsetting your sister," Gage overtured.

"Deal," Carmel assented, but mimed Robert de Niro's "I'm watching you" gesture just to be clear.