Trevor hoped they would escape Wind quickly. He’d already heard it all from Dustin this morning. He’d put all sorts of crazy thoughts in Trevor’s head about asking Julie out on a real date and how Trevor was totally falling for the woman but he wouldn’t admit it to himself. Hogwash. All of it. What did his friend know, beyond games and dating a different woman every night?
The door swung open, and Julie stood there in a spaghetti-strapped top—a term he’d learned from his ex—and skirt that showed off her tan swimmer’s legs. Her shirt was a deep ocean blue, which made her eyes pop like the morning sun cresting the horizon.
“Ready?” She closed the door behind her, leaned into him, stealing his breath, and whispered, “Don’t worry. Wind’s leaving to help her sister out. She won’t be around much today.”
“I hope her sister’s okay,” he blurted, not sure what else to say.
“Minor surgery, so she’ll be fine. So, are you ready?”
“Right. Yes.” He held up his box of cards.
“Keep an eye on Houdini for me,” she called through the open window. “Okay, we’ll hit Cassie’s Catch first, then the marine store, Summer Sweets, the corner store, hardware, post office, and nail salon. Sound good?”
“Sure.” He side-stepped, allowing her room to walk down the path so they weren’t so close together.
“Thanks again for doing this,” he said while following her down the narrow walkway to Main.
“No problem. I needed to run some errands anyway.” She moved around a pothole closer to him, so he moved away so he didn’t crowd her.
At the end of the street, they turned left, landing them in the heart of town. The cute, quaint shops were inviting. A restaurant with a large rope net hung from an awning, looking inviting. The aroma of fried fish and other goodies reminded him he’d skipped breakfast in his haste to make it on time to Julie’s place.
They strolled into the main dining area, which was reminiscent of an old pirate ship, with wooden plank walls, sails, and a large helm in the center in front of a repurposed mast pole.
“Hey, Cassie. I’ve got someone I want you to meet,” Julie called out the minute they entered.
Trevor retrieved a card from the box and found a burly man with tattoos up his arm wiping his hands on a dishtowel. “Hello. I’m Trevor Ashford. I started a business at the end of Hammerhead Drive. It’s a charter business. I have a sailboat and a motorboat, and I hope to take families out on adventures. Here’s my card.” He held out the card to the man, who looked to Julie as if to translate.
“Where’d you find this stuffed-crabby outsider?” the burly man asked.
“You think?” Julie laughed and opened her arms to the large man.
Trevor didn’t like the way the man, who he assumed was the owner Cassie, picked Julie up off the ground in a too-intimate hug.
Once he placed her on her feet again, he turned to Trevor. “Some advice, son.”
Son? He was maybe ten years or so older than Trevor. How patronizing.
“In a small town, you might want to say hello before you spout out your entire business plan. Things run a little less cut-throat ’round here. It’s part of our charm.” Cassie rubbed Julie’s back, making sweat pool on the back of Trevor’s neck, or was that the heat from the kitchen? Either way, he didn’t like it. “How you doing, girl?”
“Fine. How’re you and Sandy?” she asked, not seeming to mind his touch at all.
“Great. Hey, I heard that the gang is coming back to town. You gals used to rule Summer Island.”
“That was a lifetime ago.” To Trevor’s relief, she swatted Cassie away.
“Still, I’d be honored if you gals came here for a meal while you’re all in town together. I’ll throw a fiftieth party for you.”
She was turning fifty? She didn’t look a day over thirty-five. It was a relief to know he didn’t go after younger women all the time like Dustin had accused him of doing. They continued to chat as Trevor stood there smelling seafood and old wood. He was once a man who commanded board rooms and negotiations. Now he couldn’t even navigate a simple conversation.
“Tell you what… If our girl Julie here vouches for you, I’ll hand out some of your cards to people here.” He took the card from Trevor and tossed it on a long table with the rest of the small-town sales paraphernalia. “I’ve got to get to work, but look forward to you and the girls coming in for a bite.”
“Of course. They’ll be here tonight,” Julie said.
Trevor realized that come this evening, she would be caught up with all her friends and have no time to hang out with him. If he was honest with himself, he didn’t like that thought.
They left the restaurant, and Julie halted at the sidewalk. “Okay, what gives?”
“What do you mean?” Trevor looked to the restaurant behind him, the nail salon with the starfish logo across the street, and then to Julie.
“Seriously? I guess Wind was wrong and you’re not into me. That’s fine, but you don’t have to worry. I won’t attack you. You don’t have to keep moving away from me or acting like some big-city robot.”
“I’m not moving away from you. I’m giving you space.” Trevor rubbed his forehead, trying to clear the noise.
“Maybe I don’t need that much space.” Julie flipped her hair away from her face and sighed. “Listen. I know I was rude yesterday, and I apologize for that.”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” Trevor offered, but Julie shook her head.
“I do, but let’s table the why and the bigger conversation for later. We can talk after we’re done here, someplace without a dozen prying eyes on us. For now, try not to look like a scared minnow in a shark tank.” She took a few steps and halted again. “And try to smile and greet someone before you shove the
