Page 7 of Tide Over

“Not a bad spot,” he says.

I smile softly as I stand beside him, my gaze following his over the water. It’s a secluded stretch of ocean, away from all the boat traffic. And right now it looks beautiful with the orange sky reflecting off the waves as the sun dips low. “This is what sold me on this place.”

He huffs lightly. “I see why.”

I turn my head to look at him, but he keeps his eyes on the water, seeming to get lost to his head for a moment. My gaze lingers on him a beat longer as I take in the emptiness in his eyes and the heaviness that seems to cling to him.

Until his gaze drops to my speedboat in the water before us, which I have set up for fishing. He nods towards it. “Get out much?”

I look down at it as well and sigh. “Not as much as I’d like. We don’t fish lobster on Sundays, so I try to get out on my own then.” I shrug slightly. “Otherwise, I just try to go out whenever I find the time and I’m not working too late.”

“Building barn doors?” he asks with a small smirk.

I chuckle. “Carpentry and a bit of everything else thrown in.” I tilt my head towards the barn on the other side of the driveway. “I have a workshop in there where I build tables, chairs, cabinets, you name it. But it’s evolved into house calls for repairs and installations of various kinds.” I huff out another laugh. “Like barn doors.”

He gives me a lopsided smile as the breeze blows his shaggy dark hair over his icy blue eyes. He lifts a hand to push it back, and I let my gaze run over the tattoos covering his hand and forearm. Then it continues to run up his muscular arm, before I quickly turn my head away.

“You fish?” I ask, looking back down at my boat.

“I did quite a bit growing up in Cape Breton. Not quite the same in Alberta.”

I chuckle, turning to face him again as he looks at me, his smile still in place.

“I bet.” I tilt my head towards the house. “I’ll show you around.”

Liam follows me up the dock and onto the small stone patio off the side door.

“I bought this place a year ago, and I was hoping to have more done with it by now.” I push the door open and step into the entryway. “Probably shouldn’t have sold my other place until I had more of it done, but… it’s liveable now.” We head into the kitchen, and I gesture to the large kitchen island. “I did finally install countertops, so at least there’s a functional kitchen.”

Liam walks around the island, silently taking in the space. He stops in front of the sink and peers out the small window which has a view of the water.

“I have a bigger window I’m going to put in there,” I say, leaning against the island. “Just… need to find the time.”

He nods, turning away from the window and glancing around again. And immediately, I feel uneasy. I don’t think he expected this. I told him it was a bit of a construction zone, but… it’s more than just a bit. The wall between the kitchen and living room is only partially torn down, since I haven’t had the chance to finish taking it out yet. Even though I started it months ago. I still haven’t put the tiles up for the backsplash after tearing theold, broken ones out, and the walls throughout the entire house are still full of holes after updating the electrical.

Liam heads through the partially torn out wall into the living room. It’s a large space with wood beams across the ceiling and exposed brick on the far wall, where a TV I never watch is hanging. A wood stove sits in the corner, and the original wide, wood plank floors creak as we walk across them.

“It’s a drafty house,” I say as Liam looks over the wood stove. “It keeps it warm in the evenings without having to turn the heat on this time of year.”

Liam nods again and that uneasy feeling grows. What the fuck was I thinking inviting someone to live here? This place is a disaster, and he’s probably trying to find a polite way of telling me thanks but no fucking thanks.

And why do I feel so disappointed by that?

But Liam pauses as his gaze lands on the doorway leading into the next room. And that feeling lets up a little bit. Because that room is the best part of this house.

I watch him as he makes his way into the small room and stops in the middle of it, looking out the large bay window that takes up almost the entire wall, with a view of the ocean.

I cross my arms and lean against the doorframe, looking out over the water as well as the sun continues to go down. “I had this idea that I would sit in here and enjoy coffee in the mornings.”

He looks over his shoulder at me, then down at the couch and small wood stove in here. “Not a reality?”

I shrug one shoulder with a shake of my head. “I’m a fisherman. Not enough time.”

Liam holds my gaze for a moment, then turns to face the window again. “You should make it.”

An involuntary sigh escapes me as frustration settles inside me. And not at him… at me. Because I know I should make timeto actually enjoy things, such as this house. But time alone with just my thoughts is also something I’ve been trying to avoid.

“There’s another good view through here.” I point to another doorway on the adjacent wall, into a small hallway.

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