Page 26 of A Journey in the Bay

“Hey, Caitlin,” Michael said. “Can I get you a coffee?”

“Hey. And yes, I’d love one. A cold brew with almond milk, please.”

“Gotcha. Take a seat wherever you’d like.”

Michael went behind the counter and poured them both cold brews, topping them off with milk. He brought them over to the table and sat down, placing Caitlin’s glass before putting down his own. Her eyes brightened as she picked it up.

“I’ve always grabbed a coffee and left. If I had known they came in these cute glasses, I would have stayed for a bit,” she said, holding up the clear blue mason jar that they served for customers who were staying. Her cheeks flushed, as if she were embarrassed to point it out, but he found what she said charming. “They’re a nice touch.”

“Thanks. One of my previous employees actually suggested them—eco-friendly and it looks nice.” He gave her a paper straw and the folder. “And here’s the paperwork for the ship.”

He let Caitlin go through the documents, sipping his coffee. She bit her bottom lip as she read, taking long pulls of her coffee. When she reached the final page, she signed where he’d highlighted the documents.

“All done,” she said, pushing his copies of the documents back to him.

“Thanks. Are you excited?” He tapped the bottoms of the pages on the table and slipped them back into his folder.

“I’m nervous, mostly,” she admitted. “It’s a big step, but I’ve already signed everything. No turning back.”

“It is a big step. It would be a little worrying if you weren’t nervous at all.” He smiled. “If you need any help with fixing up the boat, I’m happy to help. I haven’t refurbished one quite like this one, but I’ve done enough to make it as good as new.”

“Right.” Caitlin sat up, the slightly frenetic energy she’d had walking into the shop returning in full force. “We should lay down some specifics, then. The schedule for the boat renovations, payment, material costs…”

Caitlin rattled off fifty other things to do, pulling a small notebook and pen out of her purse. Michael tried to suppress a smile, which got more difficult when she flipped through a series of perfectly neat and organized lists. But something about it pricked his heart too. She found comfort in her routines and her lists. In order. So much of her life at the moment must have been the opposite.

He rested his hand on top of hers before he thought the action through. Her hand was small and fine-boned, but when his thumb brushed against hers, he felt a slight callus. “Hey, we don’t have to talk all that through right now. Just enjoy your new boat for today and we can talk specifics later.”

She blinked, her eyes unsure, but not displeased. Michael pulled his hand away and cupped his mason jar, a stirring in his chest. He’d surprised her with his touch, but she wasn’t upset about it. They studied each other for a moment before Caitlin cleared her throat and put on a smile.

“That’s a good point. I tend to zoom in on the details—old habit.” She put her notebook away. “So I guess I’ll come talk to you soon about the specifics.”

“Sounds like a good plan.”

She finished off her coffee, protesting slightly when Michael insisted it was on the house, and left to pick up Pearl. Michael watched her cross the street through the shop’s huge windows. The hand that had touched hers had phantom tingles, as if they had just touched.

It had been a long time since he’d felt like this around anyone. He was a little nervous, but equally excited to see her. He always thought he’d be a bachelor. After all, he loved the freedom and he had a great social life. Being alone had never bothered him because he had so many great people around him.

But now with Caitlin in the picture, he was starting to question his lifelong bachelorhood. She was the perfect mix of similar to him, yet different—both of them were entrepreneurial, though she leaned more toward the to-do lists and order side of things than he did. And he saw how his more laidback nature could complement her more contained ways.

How had he not noticed her before? She had been married, of course. But now she wasn’t. And that made his life a little more complicated.

* * *

Dane dug through his closet, trying to find something to wear to dinner with Alissa. His closet was still filled with his usual tailored shirts, blazers, and slacks, but now he had a lot more casual clothes—polo shirts, button-downs that he wore untucked, shorts, even jeans.

The corner of his mouth quirked up as he slid the hanger holding a Hawaiian-print shirt on it past him. He’d worn it to the luau with Alissa but hadn’t worn it since. Still, he was going to keep it. The luau had been one of the best moments he’d had in a long time.

Finally he decided on his favorite dark green polo—Alissa’s favorite color on him since it was the same shade of his eyes—and shorts. Once he finished getting dressed, he went to finish getting ready. But his phone rang, so he grabbed it. It was his mother, Johanna.

He took a slow, deep breath before accepting the call. He loved his mother, but their phone calls were always exhausting. Their conversations had been stilted, her disappointment evident even over a voice-only call. Despite his success in Blueberry Bay, she still saw him quitting his job in New York City to move out here as a failure.

If she had just been disappointed in him about that, he could have dealt with it—he was glad he’d come here, even though he hadn’t fallen in love with the town until Alissa came along. But Johanna had always told him that his temper would get the best of him one day, and it had that day at his old job. That was undeniable.

Despite all that, he tried to explain that everything that had happened had led him to one of the happiest parts of his life, but she never got it. To her, he was living in some no-name town and had burned out in New York City. That was it.

He took another deep breath and answered.

“Hi, Mom,” Dane said, leaning against his bathroom sink.

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