“It looked different when I last saw her, but you’re right. She hated it.”
“Is she still in Georgia?”
I nod. “How about your family?”
“My parents are. My sister moved to Florida. She has three kids.” His expression goes flat, and then he clears his throat. “Is it safe to assume … if you never got remarried … you don’t have kids?”
I shake my head. “No. You?”
“No, no kids.”
Valerie comes by then, just as the silence is hanging heavy between Jay and me. “Need anything, Christine?”
“No, I’m good. It’s a slow night, as you can see.”
“Would you have a moment, then? I wanted to talk to you about some new glassware Barrett and I are considering.”
“Sure. Sure thing.” Valerie heads toward the other end of the bar, expecting me to follow. When I glance toward Jay, he’s getting his wallet out.
“I’m going to head out.” He lays a couple of bills on the counter, and when I give him a questioning look, says, “I don’t need change.”
“Okay.”
“It’s good to see you, Christine.”
“You too,” I say, and I think I mean it.
The next morning, my alarm wakes me before Roscoe has a chance. I resist the urge to tap snooze, and instead sit up and stretch my arms overhead before bending forward to rub Bea’s soft, furry chin. She turns on her side and performs a full body stretch, ears to toes, in one fluid movement.
“Show off,” I say, giving her one last scratch before I get up.
I have much more energy than usual as I go through my morning routine, and I can’t deny that I’m looking forward to seeing the Hayes brothers again. I’m showered, dressed, and have fed and walked Roscoe with plenty of time to spare.
I text my neighbor Sheila and ask if she can look in on Roscoe around lunchtime. He’d be fine until I get home, but it’d be nice for him to have a midday visit to the backyard.
I do one last check in the mirror before I leave, and give a smile to my reflection. Forty isn’t looking too bad on me. My hair looks good right now, though I know it’ll be a wild mess out on the water. I’m prepared with a hairband in my bag, along with a sweater, a jacket, sunscreen, and a hat.
The usual weekday traffic, including a couple of school buses, slows me down on my way into Whitman, but I still arrive with plenty of time to detour to the coffee shop. Fifteen minutes later, I’m parked at the marina, enjoying a rich cafè mocha and a croissant, hopelessly trying not to get crumbs all over myself.
It’s a beautiful day for boating. The sky is unusually clear for this time of the morning, and sunlight is glinting off the waves. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of activity on the docks. Commercial boats will have gone out long ago, and since it’s a weekday, there aren’t as many leisure or hobby fishing trips departing.
The next vehicle to enter the lot is a large white SUV. I think I catch sight of Corbin through the tinted window, but I can’t tell for sure until the doors open and the men get out.
Brendan, Corbin, Jonathan … and Jay.
18
Big birthday
I watch the men for a few moments before I get out of my car, bringing my drink with me. I brush the pastry crumbs from my shirt with my free hand, and retrieve my bag from the back seat.
This is the first time I’m seeing the Hayes men in full sunlight, and they look better than ever, even when I wouldn’t have thought improvement was possible. The natural highlights in Brendan and Corbin’s hair shine in the sun, while Jonathan’s dark hair is getting tousled in the breeze coming off the water.
The three of them are the picture of good health and good living, and self-assuredness informs their every movement as they unload a cooler from the back of their vehicle. I can’t help but remember how confident they were about their ability to please me, and how well they delivered on every promise.
It’s hard for me to believe that three men this attractive, interesting, and … skillful … are all single. But I suppose that’s their choice, since both their business and their penchant for sharing women don’t lend themselves to married life.
Then, there’s Jay. He looks good too. More vibrant and sure-footed than during our awkward encounters yesterday. He feels so familiar, but also so much like a stranger.