Beachfront Embrace Read online

  He passed the roses to McKenzie.

  “Lattes for the lovely couple and a dozen roses for the lady. The roses are from Brody, just in case you were wondering,” he said.

  “Oh, Brody. How sweet is this?” she said, leaning closer to the bouquet to inhale.

  “I’m glad you like it,” he replied, then he thanked Sidney for going on with his little plan.

  “No problem, we’re used to getting all kinds of requests here at the shop. If you need anything else, I’m right behind the counter.”

  He gave Brody a thumbs up and disappeared quickly. The biggest reward came from the look on Mackenzie’s face. She was still beaming, which gave him a small inkling of hope that he hadn’t completely lost his romantic touch.

  “I figured I owed you a do-over to make up for the other night,” he said.

  “Why is that? We had a wonderful time this weekend. Or at least I did.”

  “I did, too, but in the name of fulfilling a dare, we both walked away soaking wet. You even more so than me.”

  She laughed. “Brody, I jumped into the water led by my own free will. You didn’t force me. Besides that, I had an absolute blast. I kept replaying the diving scene in my mind and laughing. Stephanie probably thought I was losing my mind.”

  “Well, good. I’m glad then. Not because your daughter thinks you’re crazy, but I’m glad that you had fun. I’ll have to admit, there was something about the moment that allowed me to loosen up and stop being so nervous. I guess cold water can straighten anybody up,” he replied.

  “It sure can. I was so thankful for the public rest stop we found so I could at least try to make an attempt to wring my clothes out before going home. Thankfully, Steph was so engrossed in a game with her sitter she didn’t notice me tip toeing in.”

  “Gee, that’s bad. Next time we go out on a boat we’ll have to behave ourselves,” he said.

  “I’m not making any promises.”

  Mackenzie hadn’t missed the words next time. She liked the idea of there being a third date, even though this one was still in progress… next time still had a nice ring to it.

  She looked up to the sight of a familiar person wearing a flannel shirt, approaching the table with a woman by his side.

  “Mackenzie,” Bill said.

  Well, look at this, she said in her mind. Outwardly, she straightened up and returned the greeting.

  “Hi, Bill. How are you?” she asked, speaking to Bill, while noticing his date. She had to be at least twenty years younger, was in stellar shape, and was standing there popping her gum so loud it made Mackenzie want to pop her in the mouth.

  “I’m good. Cindy and I just came in to grab a quick cup of coffee. I saw you sitting here and thought I’d say hello,” he said, nodding his head at Brody at the same time.

  “Do you two know each other?” Mackenzie asked Brody.

  “I’ve heard Bill’s name before, but I don’t think we’ve officially met,” he responded.

  “In that case, Bill this is Brody. Brody this is-”

  Brody jumped up to offer a handshake and help relieve some of the awkwardness.

  “Hey, man. How’s it going?” he said, extending his hand.

  “Hey there, Brody. Nice to meet you.”

  Bill’s lady friend cleared her throat.

  “Gee, where’s my manners? Cindy, this is Mackenzie. She works at the café down the street. You really should check it out. The food is amazing,” he said.

  Cindy gave a half-hearted wave and returned to holding Bill by the arm.

  “Everyone in Solomons knows about the café, Bill. Especially everybody who works over at the lumberyard with you, I’m almost certain of it,” she said, assuming she was his new girlfriend from work.

  “I’m visiting, actually,” Cindy said, snuggling up to Bill even closer. She looked as if she wanted everything but coffee.

  “I’m on my way up to see my family in Pennsylvania. I thought I’d make a pit stop to check on this handsome fella on the way. It’s been a while, hasn’t it Billy?” she said, rubbing his belly.

  Mackenzie could feel herself making an ugly face and had to sip on her latte to keep from letting it show.

  “Hey, Mackenzie, I was thinking about grabbing these lattes and going for a walk on the dock. Would you like to join me?” Brody asked, hoping to bail her out.

  “Excellent idea. Maybe Bill and Cindy would like to have our seats.”

  Dear Lord, thank you. I owe you one, she thought to herself.

  “It was nice running into you, Mackenzie.” For just a moment Bill gazed into her eyes. It was almost as if he was sorry that he couldn’t speak freely.

  She wasn’t certain why. If she was keeping count correctly, he was now onto lady number two in no time. Seemed like he had plenty going on in his life to help keep him occupied.

  The gentlemen briefly shook hands, and everyone departed before it became any more awkward.

  Outside, Brody held the roses for Mackenzie while they walked over to the water.

  “Are you okay? I know it can’t be easy running into an old boyfriend,” he said.

  “Uh, I think the title of boyfriend might be an overstatement,” she said adamantly.

  “I mean… we dated for a while. I'm sure you heard the story like everyone else on the Island. Bill ended up meeting someone new on the job, or at least that's what he told me. I'm glad we parted ways. Clearly he has an issue with being honest.”

  “I hate that for you. If you want, I’ll go back in there and knock him out for you. I can send him a message that what he did was wrong in the form of a knuckle sandwich if you want me to.” Brody pumped his fist and danced around like a boxer to make her laugh.

  “Brody, you’re too much.” She laughed hysterically. “Wait, you were joking, right?”

  “Of course. No need to worry. I was raised to be a gentleman. But, if need be, I’d defend you in a heartbeat.”

  He noticed her shivering a little and offered her his jacket.

  “Thank you. It feels kind of nice knowing that someone would stick up for me if needed. I just don’t understand why some men do such dumb things to begin with. Just be upfront with a woman… that’s all we ever really want,” she said.

  “He hurt you pretty badly, didn’t he?”

  Mackenzie leaned on the railing, taking another sip of her latte.

  “He hurt my feelings… maybe even bruised my ego a bit. I've always considered myself to be the kind of woman who could spot a liar a mile away. Apparently, he pulled one over on me. We weren’t in love or anything, but I liked him and was looking forward to seeing where things would go.”

  Brody faced the water and continued drinking his latte.

  “I’m sorry. I’m probably admitting way too much at this point,” she said. Mackenzie, you really know how to open mouth and insert foot, she thought to herself.

  “You’re good. I appreciate the honesty. I’m learning all the things not to do if I ever want to win you over. Not that I would’ve ever tried any of that to begin with.”

  She looked at him, wondering what caused him to like her the way he did.

  “I do have one more question for you, if you don’t mind,” he asked.

  “Sure.”

  He waited a moment, taking in the soothing sound of the waves.

  “I know we briefly mentioned it, but what really made you take a chance on me when I asked you out on a date? I think you gave me the kind version when I asked you before, but the look of hesitancy on your face was revealing.”

  “Ouch. Was it that bad?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  Again, she noticed his side profile, his hairline, his clean-shaven face, and the cute smile he gave her when he realized she was staring right at him.

  “For one, you caught me off guard. I rarely see you, so that moment when I realized you were actually asking me out, and not just there to order a meal, was actually kind of funny.”

  “Gee, thanks. Make fun of a
guy when he’s vulnerable.” He teased.

  “Hey, cut me some slack. You literally went from ordering corn chowder to asking me to go on a date.” She laughed.

  “But, you still said yes… so… what was going on in your mind?”

  She sighed.

  “I feel embarrassed to say this, but I almost said no, coming up with all the reasons why it wouldn’t be a good idea. Then, at the last minute… I don’t know… I thought maybe it would be a pleasant distraction. What did I have to lose? So… I said yes.”

  “Has it been a good distraction?” he asked.

  “I’m here on a second date with you. That has to indicate something good is going on, don’t you think?” She smiled, wondering if the thought of kissing had already crossed his mind.

  “Yes, it counts, but if at any point you have regrets about saying yes, I don’t want you to feel like you have to hide anything from me. I’m a big boy. I can handle it.” He finished his coffee and took her empty cup, stacking them together.

  “Brody, I have no regrets. I’m right where I want to be.”

  “In that case, will you join me for a little stroll?” He smiled and extended his arm to her.

  “I don’t mind if I do.”

  Chapter 14

  “Good morning, Jan. What’s on the agenda in North Beach today?” Brody asked the front desk assistant, laying his backpack on the front counter.

  “The agenda for today is so long I don’t know where to begin. Mike’s in his office wrapping up with a phone call, then he wants all the staff to gather for updates before the first tour of the day rolls out. You, my dear, have a gazillion shipments sitting right over there to sort through. If there’s any chance you can clear those boxes out so our customers don’t have to see them, I’d greatly appreciate it,” she said, looking over the rim of her glasses.

  Jan was rather new to the company, only a couple of months in, but it didn’t feel like it. She always wore glasses hanging from a chain, or positioned on top of her head, and she had a knack for running a tight ship to help keep things in order.

  “Yes, ma’am. I’ll get right on it,” Brody said.

  “Oh, one more thing,” she said, motioning for him to come back.

  “I told the new guy to wait for you in the break room. I think you need to show him your morning routine. The poor thing is always hovering around my desk first thing when we come in. If I can’t get back to having my morning coffee without him hovering over me, I’m going to lose my mind.” She fussed.

  “Say no more. I’m on it. Gary is really great at what he does. He just needs a little more time to get acclimated, that’s all.”

  “I understand. Just teach him how to acclimate himself elsewhere, please and thank you in advance.” She had a smirk on her face, but he knew she meant business.

  “Can you tell if Mike is off the line yet? I need to poke my head in and speak with him really quick.”

  She looked down at the telephone.

  “He’s off the line,” she replied.

  “Thank you, Jan. You’re the best.” He tipped his cap and walked away even more chipper and upbeat than usual.

  Jan watched him as he swung his bag over his shoulder and passed her by.

  In the back, he tapped on Mike’s door and waited for a reply.

  “Come in.”

  “Hey, buddy. Just wanted to drop by and let you know everything is all squared away with the boats. Last week I was able to complete my maintenance checks without a hitch, and all repairs are up to date.”

  “Thanks, Brody,” he answered, failing to make eye contact and seeming a bit distracted.

  “No problem. Oh, and unless you had something pressing for me, Gary and I are going to pick back up with our training. He’s been doing a great job. I think you’ll be impressed with his work.”

  “Yup. That’s awesome. If you 're impressed, I’m impressed.”

  Brody stood around for another minute, wondering if Mike would even notice he was still there.

  “Okay, guess I’ll catch you in the conference room. I’m going to get settled in and grab Gary for the meeting. I’ll see you in a few.”

  “Thanks, man. See you soon.”

  Brody pulled the door shut, feeling convinced that Mike was off today and not behaving like his usual self.

  In the conference room, everybody gathered around a large wooden table, fit for a log cabin, yet cozy and inviting enough to go with the shop’s rustic decor. Mike cleared his throat and greeted everybody to get their attention.

  “It’s good to see everyone this morning. I’m going to keep this meeting sweet and to the point, as I know we all have a lot to do. Last night as I was preparing my notes, I realized that some of us haven’t been properly introduced yet. Mainly because you all normally work different shifts, also because I travel between two locations, and the North Beach office is still rather new. Regardless, I don’t see any of these reasons as an excuse not to know your teammates. On this rare occasion that we’re actually all here, I thought it would be nice to introduce everybody.

  “To my left we have Jan, our lovely office assistant. I tried to call her Ms. Jan, giving her the same respect that we do with Ms. Mae in Solomons, but she wouldn’t stand for it.” He chuckled and gave her a moment to speak.

  “Hello everyone. I may be the oldest, but Jan works just fine for me. Should you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. Oh, and whatever rumors you’ve heard about me having high expectations for keeping order, it’s true. You can believe every word of it.” She smiled.

  The room lit up with agreeable laughter. By now, everyone had already experienced her version of keeping order in some shape or form.

  Mike continued around the circle.

  “Next to Jan we have Brody, who’s been with me for so long I’ve practically lost count. He’s always been like a right-hand man to me, and he’s our head mechanic.”

  Brody nodded, showing his appreciation for such a nice introduction.

  “Next to him we have Gary, who’s actually training with Brody, learning the ropes and eventually taking the reins as it pertains to all things related to the boats,” he said.

  Gary briefly waved his hand and smiled at the group.

  “Continuing on, we also have Chris, Nicholas, and JP who run our tours.” Each of them raised their hand as their name was called, offering a warm greeting.

  “I also gathered each of you here to commend you for a job well done. Since our opening, Lighthouse Tours of North Beach has been even more successful than I originally expected. Our numbers are looking great, and we’ve been able to secure local businesses who want us to host their staff events… this comes even as the fall is upon us. Myself, Jan, and Clara at the Solomons location will work together to map out even greater plans to come, but in the meantime, I just want to say thank you for doing such a wonderful job,” he said.

  The team nodded, seemingly pleased about what he shared.

  “Finally, I’ve referenced the Solomons’ group several times in passing. However, I think it’s time we all had a chance to meet them. The way I see it, we’re all one big family. We just work at two separate ends of the county. I can’t think of a better way to learn the business and improve upon what we do than by collaborating with our teammates on the island.”

  Everyone continued to listen with genuine curiosity.

  “I’ve come up with an idea to better support us in getting to know one another. I’ll be asking Clara and Jan to clear our calendars this Thursday afternoon for a few hours. This way we can head down to the island… and for an added adventure, we’ll be traveling by boat. Don’t worry, I’ll get you back in time. But, I think it will be a marvelous chance to let you see the store, meet the crew, and we can all head across the street to the neighborhood café, where you can enjoy some of the best lunch in town. Isn’t that right, Brody?” he asked.

  “It sure is. Their corn chowder is to die for.”

  Mike continued. “Yes, it is. Ho
pefully, if all goes according to plan, we can do this a few times a year, next time inviting our Solomons family to come visit with us, of course.”

  “I think it’s a fantastic idea. I’ll be sure to call Clara and coordinate everything with her,” Jan said.

  “Thanks. Also, if you could put in a phone call to Mackenzie at the Corner Café and ask her to set aside a table for us, that would be great. You and Clara can talk that over as well, just to make sure we’re all on the same page.”

  “I’m on it,” she responded.

  “All right, that concludes our meeting. Get out there and make it a great day, everyone. As always, if you need anything, you know where to find me,” Mike said, wrapping up with the team.

  Brody passed a checklist along to Gary, asking him to review it and prepare to help unpack the boxes that arrived when he returned. He then caught up with Mike in the hallway.

  “Great meeting in there this morning. Quite the difference from what I saw when I stopped by your office.”

  “Thanks, but what do you mean?”

  “Well, you were distracted. Maybe deep in thought. I’m not sure. You just didn’t seem like yourself, and I wanted to make sure everything was cool with you,” Brody replied.

  “Do you have a minute?”

  “I have two. Gary should be occupied for a bit. What’s up?”

  “Follow me,” Mike said.

  The guys walked down to the nearby pier before Mike looked at him.

  “It’s Clara, isn’t it?” Brody asked.

  “Is it that obvious?”

  “To me it is because I know you. You may be able to fool the others, but you 're not fooling me. Are you two getting engaged anytime this century or what?” he asked.

  “That was the plan. I have the ring all lined up, and I had the best laid plans, but all that went down the drain. Now, all that’s left is my plans for this weekend. If these plans fall through, then honestly, I’m just going to take it as a sign that my timing is off… way off,” Mike said.

  “What going on this weekend?”

  “I purchased tickets for us to fly down and see my parents in Ft. Lauderdale. She had a chance to meet them virtually this week. When they hit it off so well, I realized… I can’t think of a better way to kick off this time in our lives than by having her meet the people who mean so much to me. Plus, I knew my parents would be thrilled to see me since it’s been a while. To me it sounded like the perfect idea. But, when I surprised Clara with the tickets, she didn’t seem all that enthused. I don’t know what went wrong, but it definitely felt like I took a sucker punch right in the stomach.” Mike confessed.