I laughed. “Tomorrow morning I’ll be here early. You, Tom, Ralph, and Lucy will get first crack at the blueberry streusel when it comes out of the oven. I’m stopping at the Dairy Bar for some of their blueberry ice cream, too. It’s the best combination.”

“I’ll be here,” said Levi. “And don’t forget about the exhibition this weekend. I can’t wait for you to see what I’ve spent the summer on.”

It was like a sucker punch. His words were a reminder that summer was nearly over. He hadn’t mentioned staying here to continue art classes again, and I didn’t know how to ask, even though I desperately wanted to know. If that didn’t pan out, it was long-distance or bust. I forced a smile. “I can’t wait to see,” I said, remembering the watercolors of Busy’s and Oar’s Rest. “Are they all the landscapes you showed me?”

“Not all of them,” Levi said, mouth quirking into a slow smile. His blue eyes smoldered in a way that made me wonder what he meant.

“Indecisive or evasive?” I quipped.

He shrugged in an I’m-so-innocent way that I didn’t buy.

“I knew I called you Mystery Boy for a reason,” I said.

He burst into laughter. “When did you do that?”

“The first day we met! I didn’t know your name, remember?”

“And you couldn’t come up with anything sexier than Mystery Boy?” he asked with a good-natured grumble.

“You’re the exact opposite of mysterious. You always tell me what you’re thinking. That’s a pretty sexy quality in a boyfriend,” I said. A second later, I realized that the title of boyfriend wasn’t likely to last for long. The countdown to the exhibition had started.

If it surprised him, he didn’t let on. “I’m gonna get going. I have some very mysterious boyfriend stuff to work on at the art center,” he said with an exaggerated wink. “I’ll see you at the lighthouse for dinner, though?” He glanced down at his berry-stained hands, which, even after thorough washing, hadn’t quite scrubbed the bruised, purple tint.

Before I could say “Okay,” he leaned forward, pressed a soft kiss to my cheek, just enough that I felt the tip of his nose graze my skin, and then drew away.

“Thanks again for yesterday,” I said, a little breathless from the rush of butterfly flaps in my rib cage.

“No problem. I had fun.”

I smiled. “Me too.” I looked behind Levi, where the gaggle of teens in the corner booth had just started getting up, everyone making a reach for purses and phones. They’d left a mess on the table: crumbs, napkins, and messily stacked cups and plates. “I’d better get that,” I said, already reaching under the counter for a wet rag.

He followed my gaze and nodded. “See you soon.”