26. A Beachy Day
They all went into Novelty, Gage was greeted warmly by the older couple and he introduced them to Bree and Hazel.
“You remembered those cupcakes you ate earlier?” Gage asked the cute toddler beaming with energy.
“I doooo… it’s delishhh!”
Gage laughed wholeheartedly before continuing, “Well, Alice here makes them.”
Hazel made a big theatrical jaw drop that make the four of them laugh.
“I love you!” Hazel hugged Alice and it made the older woman hug her back.
Alice laughed and told Bree that Hazel was the most beautiful little girl. “And for loving me you will get to pick a cake for your mommy and Gage, oh… and also for yourself!” Alice ushered Hazel to the cake display while Archie led Bree and Gage to the little seating area in the back of the book store.
“You don’t come here often enough,” Archie said while pouring tea for everyone.
“Yes, a mistake I will soon adjust.” Gage smiled while he lazily stroked Bree’s hand under his. It was a simple gesture that didn’t miss by Archie.
“I sure hope not, anyway Bree. This guy is one of the good business owners here and he’s not being involved in the community. You need to convince him to come here more often.”
Bree smiled at Archie and blushed a little thinking that she didn’t think she has the power to make Gage do anything that he didn’t want. But she wanted to be polite to the nice older man, so she nodded and told him that she will certainly try.
“I like her,” he smiled and nodded suggestively at Gage which made him smile at him then at Bree. His hand was still on hers, not wanting to let her go anytime soon. Gage noticed that he liked people hinting at a future between himself and Bree, and he liked it more knowing Bree was not objecting to their words.
They talked about the quaint little town before Archie poured his attention on Bree’s little sunshine who was strolling around the children’s book section.
“Do you want to browse the books here?”
“I guess it’s okay to browse,” she smiled and took his hand in hers. Bree didn’t want to buy any books, she would let Gage buy Hazel a book, knowing there’s nothing that she can do to stop the man from doing what he wants. Besides Bree thinks that it was cute that Gage wanted to be on Hazel’s good side.
“Bree, I know what you’re thinking. We talked about this, please this is me taking care of you.” Gage knew that Bree started to withdraw to her former self because of last night’s incident with her ex. He was trying to understand her, he was trying to be patient with her and Gage wanted Bree to forget about what happened last night. He was truly hoping that by getting her to spend a couple of days at the seaside town she would feel better.
Bree sighed a bit too harshly and from there he knows that she was letting his words sink in. “Okay, I’ll buy some steamy books, maybe I can make you blush in front of Archie with my book choices?” Bree managed to make him laugh and his little town friends never knew that the man could even pull a smile that wide. Archie would surely call Randall at Gage’s beach inn and gossip about the woman Gage brought to the beach town. Because like any other small town, the gossip was inevitable since there was only so much that you can do in the peaceful little seaside town.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
Less than an hour later they were done with shopping at Novelty, Hazel picked two picture books with princess-themed stories, Gage got himself some thriller and mysteries books, while Bree was true to her words when she picked out some steamy books with BDSM plots all twisted into a mini series, yup, she didn’t just get one. She put three in their basket. Gage raised his brow when he saw it, but Bree smiled sweetly at Gage which then made the young man at the register quickly scanned the barcode so he can put the smut books into the bag. The lanky teenager surely knows what kind of books Bree was buying when the barely adult young man blushed profusely.
“Come on, let’s shop for some swimwear.” Gage took Hazel in his arms and open the small boutique glass door for Bree with his other hand. He let Hazel roam the shop but still kept an eye on the little girl.
“Get something sexy to wear, I’ll be with Hazel” Gage teased and nudged her to the sexy bikini display in front of them. She laughed and let him kiss her cheek then leave her alone in the women’s section. Gage quickly grabbed the navy swim trunks that were just his size, then he went to accompany Hazel as she looked around the shop.
“What do you got there, little lemon?”
Hazel giggled from another of many nicknames that Gage managed to call her with and she told him that she wanted the pink princess one-piece swimsuit which has a matching tule tutu attached to it. Gage smiled and told her that she will look beautiful in it. He called the shop assistant making sure that they have one in Hazel’s size then Gage added beach towels and some flip-flops for the three of them thinking they might as well go to the beach after this since Hazel looked very eager to take her new swimsuit for a swim.
“Hey beautiful, why don’t you get that navy piece, it’ll match mine,” Gage kissed her cheek and Bree pouted when she saw the very skimpy navy bikini on display.
“Gage we haven’t even unpacked,” Bree retorted after Gage told her that they should all go to the beach. Explaining to Bree that Hazel was so antsy to go swimming with her new tutu swimsuit.
“The bags will still be there later, come on Bree. We need to get the little ballerina here to wet her new swimsuit.” Gage said loud enough making Hazel giggle and her smile reached Bree’s inside and warm her up instantly.
Bree took the Navy one-piece swimsuit instead of the two-piece, just to irritate Gage. She told the young shop attendant her size and luckily they still have one that’ll fit her just right.
Gage also grabbed a large beach bag, a bottle of sunscreen and two pairs of adult sunglasses, and a toddler size one in pink for Hazel, thinking the shades would be great to relax and read at the beach.
The makeshift family changed their clothes at the boutique and were wearing their beach gear complete with their sunglasses coming out of the little shop in their flip-flops and headed towards the beach.
Bree giggled when Gage snapped photos of the three on them with his phone, she never felt this free, ridiculously silly, and happy at the same time. Nope, never in her entire life before. She kept looking at how adorable Hazel was in her new pink tutu swimsuit, her pink sunglasses, and pink kiddy flip-flop. While Gage was rocking his new swim trunks, a plain white t-shirt, and completing the look with his new flip-flops and cheap sunglasses.
Bree was not looking bad herself as she was wearing her new Navy one-piece swimsuit under her see-through beige outer beach dress, of course with matching cheap sunglasses as Gage and the same store-bought flipflop as his.
They look very touristy and Bree was loving it. Gage was right, she needed this. They set up at the beach after a very late lunch at the beachside seafood restaurant since they were all stuffed with Alice’s cakes this morning.
The sun was not too hot, it was a cloudy breezy afternoon perfect for swimming and playing at the beach, though Bree intended to read instead of swimming.
She was an hour into her book, until her little sunshine yelled for her, “Mommy! come swim!” Hazel called out giggling from the water where Gage had put her on his shoulder, dipping her repeatedly in and out of the sea level as he lowered himself and made his gorgeous chest visibly wet.
Bree gave into her baby girl’s wishes and she took off her new outer and showed off her perfect silhouette. She could see Gage’s intense gaze at her and she tugged her lips playfully and went to them. The water was perfect and they played in the water for another half an hour before Hazel noticed the bruising on Bree’s wrist.
“Mommy, what happened?”
Bree forgot about the concealer on her wrist that must’ve rubbed off from their little playtime. But she was surprised when little Hazel turned to Gage as if she was accusing him of Bree’s bruises.
“No, baby, this is not because of Gage. I’m sorry, I know I should be honest with you. But Gage was there and he did make Daddy go away.”
“I don’t like my daddy,” Hazel’s eyes looked sad, “can Gage be my new daddy?”
“Oh, sweety, why don’t we get back to our room and take a nap?” Bree held the little girl in her arms and little Hazel rested her cheek on her mom’s.
Bree saw the look in Gage’s eyes, he did not flinch or give any hint of annoyance. Instead, he told Bree to take her, but not before he kissed the top of Hazel’s hair and told her that he loves her. “I’ll gather our stuff and we’ll go back to the Inn. I think we should take a nap before dinner time.”
Gage didn’t expect the words to come from Hazel. But he liked it, in fact, he liked it a bit too much and he started planning on getting closer to them over the next couple of days.