Page 8 of Sail Away with Me

Penny nodded. “He’s in love.” She let out a dreamy sigh. “Dune converted the courtyard to a nightclub for her.”

Sail turned and looked toward the back door, which led to an outside seating area. “And my parents let this happen?”

“We do a hell of a weekend business now. Although, with the season being over and Caroline living in New York, I’m sure Jack will close it for the winter.”

Sail shook his head. “I’m so confused.”

Penny smiled and patted him on the shoulder. “Sorry, kiddo. Tidal and Crew are home alone, so it’s probably good you’re here to keep them out of trouble.”

“I don’t know about that,” he mumbled as she walked toward the back.

Sail sought Galvin again and stared while his mind processed what Penny had said. He had a slight reprieve before he had to come clean to his father. He wouldn’t tell his parents he was home unless he specifically asked. Sail also couldn’t ask Penny to not say anything, otherwise there could be some suspicion. He’d play it cool as long as possible.

In his musing, he missed a chance to watch Galvin as she walked by. He jerked when his plate slid in front of him. “Can I get you anything else?”

Sail looked up and caught her gaze. “Your number?”

Galvin laughed. “Let me know when you’re ready to check out.” She walked to the back, leaving him there with his mouth hanging open. No one had ever rejected him before.

galvin

. . .

When the clock struck ten, Galvin slid her timecard through the slot and waited only seconds for the automated machine to print across the card. She put it back in the slot along with the other cards and began untying her apron as she headed toward the back door. Having clocked in at six in the morning, she jumped at the opportunity to pick up another shift, even though she was exhausted. The tips in her pocket proved the ache in her back and feet had been worth it.

Before she could leave, Rocky, the head cook, called her name. Galvin went over to him, feeling exhausted. He handed her a takeout container.

“What’s this?”

“Dinner,” he told her. “We had a special left over, and I saw you eyeing it earlier.”

She had, indeed, eyed the spaghetti and meatball special. It wasn’t until she was living on her own had she realized how much she missed a home-cooked meal. Not that her father cooked well, but he tried, and it was something she’d taken for granted.

Galvin popped the lid and inhaled the marinara sauce, rich with a robust blend of ripe tomatoes, garlic, basil, and oregano.She would’ve never thought to find something so appetizing at a diner, but she guessed this was why Carter’s stood out from others. The minute you walked in, you automatically assumed this was nothing more than a burger, fries, and milkshake joint. During the day, that was exactly what you got. But during dinner, it was classier while still keeping the diner vibe.

“Thank you.” Even though Carter’s allowed their employees a free meal during their shift, they’d been so busy she didn’t have enough time to take a full break. She hadn’t minded because she was being paid, and Penny didn’t care if the staff snuck in back for a quick snack.

Galvin carried her dinner down the hall. She pushed open the door and inhaled the cool night air. It had rained earlier, and everything was still damp, despite the sun coming out shortly after the burst of showers rolled through town. The bright rainbow shined through the windows directly after, casting the patrons near the windows in gold, pink, and blue hues. Everyone quieted and stopped eating to take in the majestic moment. Even the staff paused.

At the top of the stairs, she unlocked her door and went inside. For a moment, she lingered there and took everything in. This studio was home. In the week she’d been in Seaport, she was more than comfortable. Most importantly, it was affordable thanks to her father’s relationship with Jack Carter. Now, all she had to do was get out and experience the town. She would, once she had a day off, and wasn’t exhausted. Galvin was going to have to overcome this new level of tiredness if she was going to go to law school and work. With the amount of loans needed to take out, she had no choice but to work.

She set her dinner down on the counter and stripped out of her workwear on her way to the shower. The one drawback to where she lived was it was a studio and small, but she didn’t mind. As soon as her first paycheck hit her bank account, shewas buying bookshelves to use as a wall, to give herself some type of bedroom. She figured building them would be a good fall project.

After her shower, she towel dried her hair and used the necessary products she found on various advertisements that would undoubtedly give her voluminous hair. Then she braided it to give it a natural-looking wave. Her clothing of choice was her favorite shorts and T-shirt pajama set, something she loved wearing. They made her feel feminine and put together, even though no one would see them but her. Of course, she had sweats on standby when she desired more warmth.

With her place being so small, it didn’t take long for the aroma of her dinner to make its way to her. She padded to the kitchen, bare-footed, and opened the container. Galvin took a deep, satisfying inhale and laughed when her stomach growled.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll feed you,” she said as she pulled the pile of pasta toward her. She blindly reached for a fork after pulling the drawer open, stabbed and twisted the pasta, and froze when her hand was halfway to her mouth. Her stomach protested.

Outside, on the picnic bench, lay a body. From where she stood in her kitchen, she couldn’t tell if it belonged to a man or woman. Their torso lay on the table, while their legs bent at their knees and dangled toward the ground, swaying back and forth. Galvin tilted her head, trying to see the person's head, but couldn’t.

Were they dead?

Was Carter’s Diner the site of a murder?

What had her father gotten her into?

Her stomach made a loud, obscene noise, demanding some sort of sustenance. She put the fork in her mouth and hummed in satisfaction. The sweet, ripened tomatoes used for the sauce tasted heavenly, and the garlic wasn’t overpowering. It was easy to see why everyone in town loved the diner and no one onthe island treated it like a tourist trap. The food, ambiance, and general feeling of Carter’s Diner was what brought everyone back. Even after her short time here, she already knew a couple of the regulars.

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