Page 6 of Harbor

“Also a good choice,” I reply as I pick up their menus. “I’ll be right back with your drinks.”

Rob nods, but Nate smiles at me again.

I turn and walk back to the kitchen to put in their order, then return to the bar to pour their beers. I see Nate and Rob talking, both looking intently at whatever they’re discussing. I wonder if they’re cops? Or why they’re in town? I’m assuming they’re not locals since I’ve never seen them before. However, it’s not totally impossible. I notice that Rob has a wedding ring, but Nate does not. For some reason, that makes me happy. Why? So he’s good looking. Just as I told Kim earlier, I have absolutely no desire to date anyone. What does it matter if Nate is single or not?

Although I have no intention of dating anyone, I’m not blind. I can still appreciate an attractive man when I see one.

Carrying their beers over to them, Nate looks up just as I approach.

“Here you go,” I say, setting their drinks in front of them.

“Thanks,” Nate says. As he reaches for his glass, I see a tattoo peek out from under his shirt sleeve. “By the way, what’s your name?”

Wiping my hands on my apron, I try not to fawn over how handsome he is. “I’m Shawna.”

Nate’s smile widens as I wonder what his full tattoo is. I can’t tell from the few lines of it I see. I can, however,tell his teeth are perfectly straight when he smiles.

Jesus, I’m even noticing how nice his teeth look? I need to stop.

“How long have you owned this bar, Shawna?” Nate asks before taking a sip of his beer.

“Just a couple of years,” I reply. “I inherited it from my dad.”

“Oh, nice. So it’s been in your family?”

I nod. “Yeah, I started working here in high school.”

“That’s cool. So you’ve lived here in Port Townsend your whole life?”

“Almost. I was born on Whidbey Island, but we moved here when I was two.”

“This is a beautiful town. The water views are magnificent. I’m surprised it’s as small of a town as it is,” Nate says. “I’d think more people would want to live here!”

“Well, it was supposed to become a big city, but the railroad decided not to extend past Tacoma like it was originally supposed to. I agree, though. It’s a beautiful corner of the country.”

“Wow, that’s interesting,” Nate says. “Do you know a lot about the town’s history?”

I can’t help but smile. I love talking about history. “Actually, I kind of do. My mom’s side of the family were some of the first residents back in the 1800s.”

Nate’s eyebrows raise, and the fact that he seems genuinely interested not only surprises me but also makes me feel good in a way I haven’t felt before. “Is that right? How cool! I bet you have some interesting stories to tell.”

Rob speaks up, pulling both Nate’s and my attention to him. “I heard there was a big clash between the white settlers and the Native Americans who lived here. Is that right?”

Nodding, I reply, “Yes, unfortunately, there was. Like most instances in US history, the settlers were really awful to the Natives. Some people believe that the tribe actually put a curse on this land, and that’s part of the reason Port Townsend never flourished into a big city like it was supposed to.”

Nate’s lips turn down. “Wow, that’s awful.”

Suddenly, Todd speaks up from the other end of the bar. “This whole town is haunted!” Nate, Rob, and I turn to look at him, surprised by his comment. “Believe me. That curse was real, and several ghosts haunt the area.”

In all the years I’ve known Todd, we’ve never discussed the town being haunted. I had no idea he thought this.

“Is that right?” Nate asks him. “Have you had any personal experiences?”

Todd shoves a fry in his mouth as he nods. “I sure have,” he says, still chewing the fry. “Nothing too crazy or scary, but enough to know that ghosts are real, and Port Townsend is full of them!”

“Wow,” Rob says, then turns to look at Nate. “Maybe we’ll have an experience at our hotel.”

“Where are you staying?” I ask.

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