Page 15 of Tide Over

And I can’t deny that going out last night to the pub piqued my curiosity about this town. I’m not sure what I expected when I decided to stay here, since my plan was to hide myself away. But something about the strong sense of community, and the welcoming vibe I got from everyone, surprisingly has me wanting to see more of this place.

So I stand, refusing to let myself overthink this as I shove my shoes on, pull on a jacket, and head out of the house.

I walk down the long driveway lined with tall, mature trees, and turn left when I get to the road. Eventually, I see the pub in the distance where we walked to just last night. As I pass by it, Isee people in the windows as they eat and laugh, enjoying each other’s company and the slow way this town seems to work.

As I continue down the road, I pass a couple little shops and some people out walking. They all smile and say hello as if they know me, extending the same warm welcome I received in the pub last night.

Eventually I find myself walking by MacKinnon’s General Store, and I can’t help but pause outside of it for a moment, taking in the old log building that Theo’s family owns. And once again I think of just how important he seems to be to this town.

“How’s it going today?”

My eyes flick to the front porch of the store, where two older men are sitting.

I give a small wave and back up a step. “Hey, how are ya?”

“Oh, just dandy,” one of them replies with a nod.

I nod back, then quickly turn around to continue my walk.

The road curves gently along the shoreline, and I pass several homes with coastal cottage vibes that look out over the ocean. A few side streets travel up a hill off the main road, leading to what looks like the main residential area of the town. Theo wasn’t lying when he said his house was separated from the rest of the town.

At the end of this residential area, I find a small gravel parking lot with a few cars in it. And as I look up, I see the marina.

It looks like all of the boats are in, which makes sense since it’s later in the afternoon. I scan the row of cars and don’t see Theo’s truck, so I guess it’s safe to assume fishing is done for the day.

I watch the marina for a bit as I stand here in the parking lot and observe the quiet area, imagining what it looks like in the early hours of the morning, when all the crews are getting ready to head out. I tentatively step onto the wharf, feeling like I’mmaybe crossing some kind of boundary, and let my eyes roam over the boats lined up in the water.

The sounds of seagulls and the smell of salt water take over my senses as I walk along the wharf, and I look over the boats, reading the names of them. Some are what I would expect, likeCeltic Rose, Lady LillyandSiren’s Sorrow. And others make me chuckle, likeBlazing BuoyandPlunder and Lightning.

My gaze roams over the piles of lobster traps on the wharf and gear in the boats, unable to even imagine how much work this all must be.

“Liam?”

I turn my head to see Mitch standing on the wharf by a boat on the opposite side of the dock.

“Oh, hey,” I say cautiously, glancing around. There’s no one else here, except another man and a woman in the boat, and I’m not sure if I’m allowed to even be here.

Mitch smiles as he coils up a rope. “How are ya?”

“Uh, pretty good,” I say, shoving my hands in my pockets and stepping closer. “Just out for a walk.” I let my eyes roam over the boat, assuming this must be Theo’s. And I can’t help but chuckle when I see the name.Can’t Sea Me.

Mitch points to the woman as she hoses down the boat deck. “This is Sarah.” Then he points to another man stacking large buckets. “That’s Glen. Guys, this is Liam. He’s new in town and staying with Theo.”

“Hey! Welcome.” Sarah smiles warmly at me and Glen gives me a salute.

“Thanks,” I say with a smile and then quickly glance out at the water. “How was it today?”

Glen lets out a small groan. “Not the best. It may look calm in here, but the water out there was not cooperating today.”

Mitch tosses the rope onto a pile of other ones and shakes his head. “Yeah, it sucked. I’m fucking beat. I’m looking forward togetting the boat to sleep so I can do the same.” He then looks at me with a sly smile. “Don’t be surprised if you encounter a bit of a cranky captain this evening.”

Sarah smacks him and rolls her eyes. “Stop it.”

Mitch shrugs. “Just speaking the truth.”

An uneasy feeling settles inside me, and I take a step backwards with a nod. “I’ll let you finish up then. Good seeing you again,” I say to Mitch and then nod to Sarah and Glen, “and nice meeting you.”

“You too!” Sarah smiles, and Glen gives me a wave. “Have a good one!”

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