Page 17 of Tide Over

“You make these?” I ask, gesturing to the chairs we’re sitting on.

He looks between them and nods. “Yeah.”

“They’re nice,” I say, appreciating the immaculate work.

And then we fall into silence as we sit and just watch the fire, and listen to the sounds of the water. The fire in the sky has now completely faded away as the one before us shines bright in the quiet darkness. And that feeling from earlier that I pushed away, forces its way back in… and this time, I’m able to name it.

Comfort.

And I don’t know why I’m not wanting to push it away this time…

“How long have you been captain?” I ask Theo, surprising myself as I break the silence with this question. It’s been on my mind since Mitch said he has worked under Theo for years. I thought he was young at his age to be a captain of a crew, and I’ve been curious to know when he started.

Theo turns to look at me, his expression also one of surprise. But also intrigue, as a small smile tugs at his lips.

“Five years,” he says.

My brows lift in shock, as I wasn’t expecting it to be that long. But I just nod.

And Theo smiles in return. “I didn’t expect to be captain of a crew at thirty, let alone twenty-five. But when my dad passed, it all came to me.” He pauses for a moment. “I’d been on the boat for as long as I can remember though, so… I guess I was as ready as I was going to be.”

I observe him for a moment as he absent-mindedly picks at his thumb with his finger and gazes into the fire, a heavinesssettling over him. Much like the one I’ve become so familiar with over the past couple months.

Maybe everything isn’t so certain and safe for him after all.

“That’s a lot,” I say.

Theo just nods. “Yeah,” he says, so softly I almost don’t hear him.

We’re quiet for a bit longer as we watch the roaring fire, the crackling of the logs the only sound filling this space between us. But a feeling quickly bubbles up inside me and takes over. Something almost like an urge to give him what he just gave me.

“You can ask me something,” I say, keeping my attention on the fire.

I feel Theo’s eyes on me, so I slowly lift mine to meet his gaze as my heart picks up its pace, and I prepare to open myself up to whatever he’s going to ask. I don’t feel ready for this… but something inside me wants to let him in, just a little bit. And I don’t understand that at all.

But Theo’s face softens as his lips tilt up in a soft lopsided smile. “Want a beer?”

And I can’t help but laugh. As the smile spreads across my face, the tension inside me fades. Theo keeps his eyes on me as his smile grows as well, and the sense of comfort settles inside me once more.

I shouldn’t get close to anyone. But, in a way, it feels like he knows me already.

EIGHT

The table legI’m working on spins in the wood lathe, and I just stare down at it. I’ve finished shaping it, and the next piece of wood is ready to go, but I just keep watching this one as the whirring sound fills the quiet morning air in the workshop. Eventually, I flip the switch to turn it off and sit on the stool with a sigh. And as I check the time on my phone, another frustrated sigh escapes me.

It’s only six thirty in the morning. I’ve been out here for an hour, and already I wish this day was over. I can usually fill my Sundays with enough work out here to make the time go by, since it’s a day off from fishing and I need to stay busy. But today, something about this just isn’t doing it for me.

My eyes travel to the dusty window facing the house, and I find myself wondering if Liam is still asleep. Guilt rises at the thought of him, and how much time he’s spent alone since he got here a few days ago. I get the sense he isn’t exactly looking for a buddy, but he just seems so… lonely. We’ve barely spoken and I know nothing about him, but I also can’t deny that I’ve felt an increased pull to get to know him, and to just be around him. There’s something comforting about him, and I don’t know what it is. After a shitty day yesterday on the water, and thena construction job not going so well, I actually enjoyed sitting quietly by the fire with him last night.

And at that thought, yet another rush of guilt flows through me, and I drop my head to rub a hand over my forehead with a groan.Fuck.

Maybe I do know what that comforting feeling is. And if itiswhat I think it is, I can’t fall too deep into it. I’ve been successful so far in keeping that part of me quiet, so I’m not going to let it all out now. He needed somewhere to stay, and I had the room… that’s all this is. I’m not going to ruin this for him.

I shift my gaze around the workshop, to the other side of the barn at my fishing gear, and do what I always do when these feelings try to push their way to the surface. Throw myself into my work.

I take in the broken lobster traps and make a mental note to fix those this week before I end up with an even bigger pile. My eyes then lift to the nets and longlines hanging from the ceiling, and I know I should get started on repairing those before tuna fishing season starts in August. I also need to check on the longliner boat in storage down at the marina and make sure it’s ready to go when the season opens, and schedule any repairs for before then. This week I have a few jobs lined up at?—

Movement out the window catches my eye, and my gaze darts towards the house as Liam steps onto the front deck. He leans against the railing as he looks over the water and takes a drink of his coffee.

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