Page 10 of Sometimes You Stay

“Yes. She wants a sandwich,” Finn said, his gaze pointed. “That’s the only right answer to a question like that.”

“Oh, really?”

He shoved his giant spoon into his mouth. “Trust me on this.”

Trust him? She barely knew his name. And that he had kids. And that he had a dog the size of a boat.

And eyes that could put her in a trance.

All of those things did not add up to trust.

But her stomach did not need any such assurance. It growled loudly, and she chuckled. “That does sound good, actually.”

“One more grilled cheese coming up.” At the stove, Marie flipped Finn’s sandwich before buttering two more pieces of bread.

“And the cheese is from someone whose son owns a dairy?” Cretia ventured again.

Still at the stove, Marie had her back turned to them, her shoulders bouncing in time with her chuckle. “Kathleen Kane—Mama Kane to most of the folks in the area. Her husband owned the dairy, and she made the best cheese sandwiches. Gave them out to kids playing with her son or anyone who was hungry, really. About thirty years ago, a little girl named Natalie accidentally called her Mama Cheese Sandwich. I guess it stuck.”

That made sense. Kind of. Cretia had seen plenty of wild usernames on social media, but this was different. She had a sudden urge to meet the woman who let everyone call her by such an unusual name. If only she had time.

“And you grew up here? With Justin and Natalie?” Cretia asked.

“Oh, no.” Marie shook her head as she delivered Finn’s sandwich. He had half of it in his mouth before she could continue. “I moved here about twelve years ago and helped get this inn started. What about you? What brings you to the island, Cretia? Are you traveling alone?”

She should have anticipated the question but still nearly choked on her response. “I’m a digital content creator.”

Finn peered at her over the last bite of his sandwich, his eyebrows pinched together. “A what?”

Cretia shrugged like she’d just said she was a nurse or teacher or had any other regular job. “I travel around the world and create video content about the interesting places I go. I recommend some lesser-known destinations and tips for making the most of vacations and how to travel on a budget. I’m a travel vlogger.”

“And people ... pay you to do that?” Finn asked.

“Um ... sort of.” She took a deep breath through her nose to keep herself in check.

“Sort of? How do you sort of get paid?”

Her cheek twitched as she tried to keep her tone even and pleasant. “I have sponsors and followers and subscribers.”

“But what are they paying for?”

Marie swept toward them, a second plated sandwich in hand. “Leave her be, Finn. Just because you don’t understand what she does doesn’t make it less valid.”

Finn scowled—at least Cretia thought that’s what was happening behind his whiskers. “I just don’t understand. How do you make a living doing nothing?”

Her blood went from a simmer to a boil in an instant, heating her skin from head to toe. “Nothing? You think I do nothing?”

“No, I didn’t mean—” Finn stumbled over the bite in his mouth, crunching on the bread.

Marie thumped him on the shoulder. “Put a sock in it, Finn. You’ve already got your foot halfway down your throat. You barely have room for your sandwich.”

He grimaced. “Sorry. I just...” Confusion still covered his face as Marie gave him another sisterly smack.

Explaining how someone could make a living by posting videos online was never easy, especially to the technologicallyaverse or the ones who questioned everything. And Finn struck her as both.

She wasn’t uber wealthy or anything, but she had a healthy nest egg. And everything else went toward new adventures and more content. She had no other bills, no other responsibilities.

Besides, her finances weren’t any of his business. She wasn’t asking him—or anyone else—for help.

---