Page 13 of The Beach House With You 2

Jacob looked up toward the crowd, scanning it for someone. Carmen followed his line of sight and when it stopped, she saw a familiar face emerge from the crowd and walk toward the food tables.

“I thought he’d be here,” Jacob said, pointing at Joe. “Anytime there’s free food, he shows up.”

“Is he the one who gave you the trouble?” Carmen asked, not taking her eyes off Joe. Jacob nodded.

“Yeah. Like I said, some locals empty out, but quite a few stay, including the fishermen. They supply all the fine dining restaurants further inland. You know, like in Boston and even down in New York. Well, last year Joe caused some trouble among the regulars and I was closer than the cops when it started.”

“Kind of sounds like you would make a good one,” Carmen said.

“Good what?” Jacob asked.

“A good cop,” Carmen replied matter-of-factly. “Or security. It just seems like you would really like it. And you wouldn’t take advantage of the power like some do.”

Jacob huffed, and looked out into the ocean.

“Maybe,” he pondered aloud, “but I like my life the way it is. I juggle a lot of things, sure, but I get joy out of it.” He suddenly looked back toward her, her gaze serious, “Except for women. I don’t think you should juggle people.”

Carmen looked over her shoulder and found her mom. She was once more standing next to Jason with a big smile on her face. Even from a distance, she could hear her laughter.

“I agree,” she replied, her eyes still on her mom. “People don’t deserve to be juggled.”

6

One week later

“Time moves too quickly here,” Franny pouted, folding her clean clothes. It was morning, and in the week that they had stayed at The Sea Glass Cottage, they had fallen into a routine. They’d wake up early, somehow without even needing an alarm, and bring coffee up to their room. They’d take their caffeine and their blankets out onto the balcony, and huddle together as they watched the sun come up over the ocean.

Once they’d finished, they’d get ready and go downstairs to help with whatever was needed, and there was plenty to be done, even with no other guests staying at the bed and breakfast. Then, in the afternoon, as things started to die down, they’d meet Jeanette, Amanda, Whitney, and sometimes Javier, Jacob, and Jason in the kitchen, and they’d all cook dinner together. This usually turned into a several-hour activity that included a few bottles of wine and several courses. It was a sense of family that neither Franny nor Carmen was prepared for, but after the first couple of nights, they quickly grew to look forward to it each day.

“Agreed,” Carmen sighed, picking up the clean, folded clothes and putting them away. At home, she hated doing laundry. Every single part of it. But here, she looked forward to laundry. It was a task that she and Franny had taken on to help around the B&B, and they both enjoyed how soothing it was.

“I’m not saying anything is wrong with Montreal, but…” Carmen tapered off.

“But it’s not like here,” Franny offered. Carmen nodded quickly in agreement.

“Exactly. It’s like…It’s like this is where we truly belong. I’m having real trouble accepting we have to leave next weekend.”

“Me too!” Franny exclaimed, tossing down the last folded shirt, her basket now empty.

“But we can’t stay, right?” she continued. “I mean, Jacob told us how the town empties out in the winter. It’s not like we could find something. And I hate to point it out, but…well, we kinda need jobs.”

Carmen nodded, picking up the last stack of freshly folded shirts.

“We do,” she sighed despondently.

“But Carmen?” Franny asked, picking up the basket.

“Yeah?

“Maybe it’s something we should look into. Like you said, back home isn’t bad or anything, but this place, it…”

“Fits better,” Carmen finished. Franny nodded.

A knock on their door stopped their conversation, and they both cheerily called, “Come in!”

Jeanette came in with a smile, and both women quickly returned it.

“How’s it goin’, babes?” she asked warmly.

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