Page 48 of Destined For Forever

She had a plane ticket to book… and a life to recapture.

Sean walked through Riptide’s doors and found himself greeted by a familiar sight. The cricket played on a TV screen in the room’s corner and the bar was mostly empty, save for a few regulars dotted around. The smell of beer and salt hung in the air, and he could view the ocean through the floor-to-ceiling glass doors that lead to the back deck. Despite it being sunny outside, Riptide always felt a little dark. It was hard to believe he’d been coming through these doors for a decade.

The same people, the same smells, the same… everything.

His boss, Pat, was behind the bar, wiping down the surface. He looked up in surprise, his grey eyebrows furrowing. “Did I stuff up the roster? I didn’t think you were coming in until tomorrow.”

“I’m here to chat.” He pushed through the swing door that led to the area behind the bar, including the tiny office out back that was little more than a glorified storage cupboard.

“Marty!” Pat called to a guy who was collecting empty pint glasses from one of the tables. “Watch the bar for a sec, would you?”

Pat followed Sean into the back room. It smelled a little like BO and a lot like the grease used to fry the chips in the kitchen. There were papers scattered over the desk and a framed photo of Pat and his wife, along with their two grandkids. Riptide might not be the fanciest of places to be, but Sean was grateful for the steady work and support Pat had given him over the years.

But now it was time for that phase of his life to end.

“This is it, isn’t it?” Pat let out a long sigh as he dropped into his chair.

Sean leaned against the wall and raked a hand through his hair. Sweat beaded along his hairline—it was scorching outside, and the bar’s air-conditioning was mediocre at best. “I haven’t said anything yet.”

Pat raised an eyebrow, motioning for Sean to speak.

“You’re right, though,” he said, feeling strangely anxious. “I, uh… I’m tendering my resignation.”

The older man nodded slowly, his shrewd eyes never leaving Sean’s face. “Well, I’ll be sad to see you go but I had you much longer than I ever expected.”

Sean blinked in surprise. He’d been certain Pat would try to convince him to stay or, at the very least, give him a good grilling before he accepted the resignation. “What do you mean?”

“When I took you back after your brief interlude in Melbourne, I expected you’d stay on for six months. A year at most.”

Wow. That was not the response he’d anticipated. “I thought you wanted me to stay.”

“For my benefit, sure. Good workers are worth their weight in gold.” Pat crossed his arms over his massive barrel of a chest and leaned back, forcing the chair to groan in protest. “But you can do much better than pulling beers, son. I know your mum put some terrible ideas in your head and I don’t mean to speak ill of anyone’s mother, but she was projecting her own shit onto you. That much I know.”

The strange thing was that his mother had been a steady patron of Riptide before Sean had worked here—some days he wondered if it drew him to this place because it felt like he was putting himself exactly where his mother thought he should be.

In a place that wasn’t going to take him anywhere.

“You never said anything.” Sean frowned.

“Not my place. You’re my employee, not my kid.” Pat made a gruff sound. “But whatever references you need, I’ll provide ‘em. What are you going to do?”

“Get my Bronze Medallion.”

It was an important step toward becoming a proper lifeguard. He’d already spent the morning chatting to the folks at the surf club to let them know he wanted to become more involved. The job would suit him well—it was strongly tied to the community and the place he loved; it would keep him close to the waves, which had been his companion ever since he was a kid.

Now if only you had a certain creative and ambitious brunette by your side.

The fantasy would never be complete without Lily. But he respected her need to chase her dreams and reach the heights that fuelled her. There was a part of him that knew he’d never love another woman the way he loved her.

“Keeping our beaches safe.” Pat nodded. “It’s a noble job.”

The plan would be to work at the surf club in a more official capacity while he got certified. They were always looking for help and it would allow him to keep up with his volunteer duties as well.

It wasn’t glamorous, but it was honest work, and it made a positive impact on the place he called home. And for once in his life, Sean wanted to see himself as a person who could make a positive impact. Being with Lily, allowing himself to truly feel something for another person, had shattered the protective shield inside him. For so long he’d numbed himself with never trying, avoiding commitment like it would scar him.

But love was funny like that. It was like an ocean—frightening and vast, with depths unknown. It could drown you.

Or it could help you soar.

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