Beachfront Embrace Read online

  “Ms. Violet!” Mackenzie smiled.

  “Don’t Ms. Violet me. I call it like I see it. Now, let me get back to my bridge game so I can show these folks how the game is supposed to be played.”

  Mackenzie walked away, shaking her head and still somewhat laughing at the ridiculous idea. Behind the counter, she grabbed a cup, filled it with ice, and continued mumbling about Ms. Violet.

  “What are you over here talking to yourself about? Did somebody ruffle your feathers?” Josh asked.

  “Not hardly. Just receiving my daily dose of entertainment from the bridge club, that’s all.”

  “That explains everything. You never know what they’re capable of saying or doing from one day to the next,” he replied, while mopping the floor.

  “Exactly.”

  McKenzie looked over at Brody, who appeared to still be mulling over the menu.

  “Hey, Josh.”

  “Hmm?”

  “By any chance, has Bill been by the café on my days off? I was wondering if you met his new lady yet?”

  “Sorry, kiddo. You know I would tell you if I knew anything, but it’s almost as if Bill disappeared into thin air. I haven’t even seen him around town. It’s pretty strange if you ask me.”

  “Hmm, interesting. Oh, well. Let me bring Brody his water and see what he wants to eat. I’ll be right back. Oh, and Josh, keep that between the two of us, okay?” she yelled over her shoulder.

  “Secret is safe with me.” He continued to mop.

  Mackenzie wanted to forget Bill existed but couldn’t help but wonder how she would react the next time he showed up at the café, particularly with another woman on his arm. In some ways, she felt kind of dumb, assuming he would ever return. Maybe he was too embarrassed to step foot in the café, she thought.

  “Okay, what will it be? Would you like one of our specials or something from the menu?”

  Brody closed the menu and laid it down.

  “I’ll give the chowder a try for now.”

  “That’s it? Are you going to make it through the rest of the day on a bowl of corn chowder?” she asked.

  “I’ll tell you what… throw in a roll to go with it. Maybe even a date for two this weekend, and I think I’ll be just fine.”

  Mackenzie wrote down the corn chowder on her notepad, but froze after mistakenly writing the word date. She scratched the word out and looked up at him.

  “What was that again?” she asked.

  Brody’s face turned bright red. Instant regret settled in the pit of his stomach. He knew he should’ve waited to hear from Clara, rather than make such a bold move.

  “You mean the part about the date? Yeah, that was my ridiculous way of trying to ask you out. Look, I’m sorry. I’m not good at this sort of thing. It’s just… I heard you weren’t seeing anybody, and I’ve always thought you were beautiful with a real friendly personality, so I figured I’d gather up the courage to come in here and ask you out. Stupid move on my part, I know. It will never happen again,” he said, looking off in another direction in total shame and embarrassment.

  Mackenzie noticed his side profile, his fresh haircut, and how neatly put together he was. She assumed he made the extra effort for her but wasn’t sure.

  “I’m sorry, Brody.”

  “No… no… it’s okay. It’s probably best I take the chowder to go. I can’t sit here and eat after making such a fool of myself. It will probably be another six months before I can walk in here without feeling like a complete idiot,” he said, laughing it off.

  “I mean… I’m sorry. I misunderstood what you were saying at first. My answer is yes,” she said, figuring maybe this would be a nice distraction.

  He slowly raised his head to make sure he was following correctly.

  “Wait… what?”

  “Yes. I’ll go on a date with you. A date for two this weekend sounds nice. I could stand to get out more, myself,” she said.

  A huge smile appeared on his face. He passed the menu along, placing it in her hands, trying not to reveal too much enthusiasm.

  “Why, thank you. I believe you just made me the happiest man on Solomons Island,” he said, with both of them letting out a little laughter.

  “Can I pick you up at your place on Saturday around four?” he asked, slightly exposing his dimples.

  “I have to secure a sitter for my daughter, but that shouldn’t be a problem. Four should work fine. Let me head to the back and grab your chowder. I’ll be right back,” she said, walking away, biting her lower lip to contain herself.

  “Hey, Mack,” he called out.

  She turned around.

  “Do you enjoy hanging out by the water?” he asked.

  “Are you kidding me? We live on Solomons Island. Who doesn’t like hanging out by the water? I’ll write my address down on a napkin when I get back.” She smiled and continued heading toward the kitchen, intentionally winking at Ms. Violet.

  Jonathan sat next to Mae on the front porch with a laptop in hand, showing her pictures of various boats to buy. He felt like a kid in a candy shop, bubbling over and excited about potentially purchasing his dream toy.

  “Look at this one. It’s a forty-seven-footer with plenty of space for us to invite family and friends whenever we want to take a trip,” he said.

  “Whoa, she’s nice looking but rather large, don’t you think?”

  “Well, of course, we’d have to consider what marina we’d like to use. But, I’m certain they’ll have options for different size boat slips. It shouldn’t be an issue.”

  “Jonathan, would you look at the price tag on that boat? You have to be kidding me. We don’t have that kind of money,” Mae said, frowning.

  “Boats aren’t cheap, but don’t worry. I have a few extra dollars put away. How about this one, instead?”

  Mae positioned herself to comfortably scroll through a few of the photos.

  “I think this one looks more like my cup of tea,” she replied, pointing to a smaller version, approximately half the size of what Jonathan picked out.

  He began relaxing his posture on the back of his chair.

  “If we’re really looking at this as an opportunity to have a second home we can travel in, I think we ought to do it right the first time. Let’s purchase something we can comfortably enjoy,” Jonathan said.

  “I can comfortably enjoy a trip on any of these options I just showed you. Isn’t there a way we can find a boat that won’t hurt the bank account? I know you have funds saved up, but this was supposed to be a joint venture. Something we can both contribute to and make our own.”

  “Mae, I’m all for us making it our own. When you first presented the idea, you really leaned in heavy on me fulfilling my dreams. I’m not dreaming of a miniature sailboat that requires me to squeeze in like a can of sardines at night when I want to lie next to my wife.” He grumbled.

  She passed him the laptop and reached for her water can instead.

  “When I presented the idea, I also had no intentions of purchasing a boat the size of Taj Mahal. Let’s be reasonable here. We are two tour guides, living in a quaint little cottage who are both closer to retirement more than anything else. Just because we have the money saved up doesn’t mean it’s wise to spend it,” she said.

  “What are you so afraid of?” Jonathan asked, but regretted the words as soon as they slipped out, knowing it would probably spark another one of their newlywed spats.

  “I’m not afraid of anything. Jonathan Middleton… before this conversation gets way out of hand, I’m going to water my flowers. Perhaps it’s best for us to table this for now and set aside a day to see the boats in person.”

  “Fine.”

  “Fine.” She repeated and walked off to tend to her garden.

  Jonathan shut down his computer and looked up to the sight of Meredith, the next-door neighbor, staring in his direction… more like eavesdropping if he was being honest. She was single, president of the HOA, ran regular meetings for the neighborhood, an
d had a reputation for being the town mayor, or the most inquisitive person in the neighborhood.

  “How are you, Meredith?” He waved, wishing he was already inside.

  “I’m fantastic, Jonathan. Couldn’t be better. How are you and Mae coming along?”

  “We’re doing well. Trying to enjoy a little fresh air before it’s time to head in for the evening.”

  “That’s nice. In the market for a boat, I see,” she said, eagerly waiting for him to share more information.

  “Yep, something like it.”

  “Sounds fun. We used to go sailing every now and again when I was growing up. I miss it. It’s part of the reason I moved out here to Solomons… not to sail, but to be near the water and all.” She smiled.

  “Yes, the water is a big attraction.”

  She gripped her hands around a warm beverage, took a sip, and continued probing.

  “So, you’re thinking about living on a boat and traveling… would you consider selling your property?” she asked.

  Mae reappeared in time to catch Meredith in the middle of her inquisitiveness.

  “Well, there she is. Meredith, I haven’t seen you in a couple of days. I was wondering why you haven’t been at your post keeping up with what’s going on in the neighborhood,” Mae said, smirking at her.

  Meredith hopped up and gathered her beverage and a few other items.

  “Ha ha, Mae. I know what you’re trying to imply, but it’s okay. I was just about to go inside. I hope you two can settle your differences. Oh, and a small piece of advice before I go… you might consider closing your bedroom window this evening, so the rest of us don’t have to overhear one for your nightly escapades,” she said. She stuck her tongue out at Mae and slammed the front door behind her.

  The two had sort of a funny love-hate relationship. Occasionally, they stopped the constant banter to unite on a common cause, but for the most part, this was their norm.

  “You carry on like two old grumpy sisters, constantly taking jabs at one another,” Jonathan said.

  Mae waved her hand dismissively.

  “We’ve been neighbors for so long I don’t pay it any mind. I just get a kick out of letting her know how nosey I think she is, that’s all,” she said.

  Jonathan shook his head and laughed. At least Meredith helped to break the tension between them.

  “Come over here, Mae. Did you have a chance to cool down while you were watering your flowers? Your watering session was short-lived, I noticed,” he said.

  She climbed the front steps and returned to her rocking chair.

  “Yes, I’m fine. How about yourself?”

  “Hey, I’m fine with whatever the eventual outcome is. What’s most important is that I have you to experience life’s adventures with. All the rest really isn’t that important in the grand scheme of things. I’m sorry I started getting so bent out of shape. It won’t happen again,” he responded.

  “Are you sure about that? I highly doubt that’s the last time we’ll disagree about something.”

  “You have a point there, but for now there’s at least one thing we can agree on,” he said.

  “What’s that?”

  “Leaving the window wide open tonight to annoy the heck out of Meredith.”

  “I heard that!” Meredith yelled from the window off her front porch.

  Jonathan and Mae glanced at each other and laughed so hard they could barely contain themselves.

  Chapter 8

  Clara threw a frisbee to Holly and then sank her toes into the sand, preparing for her morning quiet time. She didn’t have to be at work for a couple of hours and decided to start the day in her favorite place for morning meditation.

  Her first thought was of Mike and how she hadn’t spoken to him since his departure, when she was interrupted.

  “Clara, do you have a few minutes to talk?” Agnes asked.

  “I didn’t hear you coming,” she said, straightening up, directing most of her attention to Holly.

  “Yeah, I didn’t want to disturb you, but I figured since we didn’t talk last night…”

  Agnes waited for an open invitation to continue.

  “There’s not much to say, Agnes. I heard enough when I came down to check and make sure you were okay last night.”

  “Right. About that… You deserve to know so much more than what you overheard.”

  “Deserve?” Clara laughed.

  “Interesting choice of words. I’m not sure about what I deserve, but I can tell you what I don’t deserve.”

  Agnes joined her, creating a space to sit down.

  “Okay, let it out. If this is what it takes to get us talking, let me have it,” she responded.

  Clara threw the frisbee again, avoiding eye contact with Agnes.

  “I don’t deserve you showing up unannounced after ten years, expecting me to help pick up the pieces of your broken life,” she said.

  “Okay, I expected that one. What else do you have for me?”

  Clara looked annoyed, causing Agnes to stop talking and just listen to what she had to say.

  “I also don’t deserve you inadvertently bringing Keith back into my life again. I was in the clear, the divorce was settled, and I had moved on with my life. But, in a lot of ways, I’m not surprised. It’s no different than when we were young. You were never content with having your own and never satisfied unless you were causing someone else heartache,” Clara said.

  * * *

  “Ouch. That’s a bit below the belt. Is that really what you think of me?”

  “Yes, it is. I would never say such a thing if it wasn’t true. Do you realize the last time we were together we were arguing over mom and dad’s benefits after their accident? That should’ve been a time of healing… a time for us to come together and be there for one another, but sadly, we couldn’t. Now, years later, I’m still trying to figure out why you never reached out to see how I was doing or to make amends. One would think after all this time we would’ve forgiven each other and moved on… but no… we can’t because now we’re consumed with Keith and your secret baby,” she said.

  Clara was so disgusted she could feel her blood boiling. She was granted a rare opportunity to speak her mind, and she didn’t plan on holding anything back.

  “I can hear the gossip now. Clara’s sister was dating her ex and now she’s having a baby with him. Oh boy, I’ll never be able to show my face around here after this gets out,” she said.

  “Wow. I’m sorry I’m such an embarrassment to you.”

  Clara squinted in total disbelief, then stood up and dusted herself off.

  “Don’t do that. It’s not fair for you to turn this around on me. You do not realize what it’s like to be in my shoes. You showed up for selfish reasons, Agnes. You’re not here because you care. Meanwhile, I’m in love with the man of my dreams, but I guess I’m supposed to put all that on hold to cater to you. Well, I’m sorry, but Keith… the baby… all this is too much. You need to figure out a way to let him help you because I can’t, Ag. This is way too messy. You need to leave.”

  Clara whistled for Holly to follow her back to the house, leaving Agnes on the beach alone.

  At Lighthouse Tours, Tommy pulled out of the dock with his first tour of the day. Jonathan was close behind him, welcoming the last customer on his boat and preparing to set sail.

  Inside, Clara worked on a few marketing ideas when the phone rang.

  “Lighthouse Tours, how may I help you?” she answered.

  “Hi, Clara, it’s Mike.”

  “Oh, hey. I wasn’t looking at the screen before I picked up. How are you this morning?” she asked.

  “I’m well. Just calling to run down a list of things that need to get done this week if you have a moment.”

  She cleared her throat.

  “Sure, you sound so formal. Is everything okay?”

  “Couldn’t be better. I have a lot to get done and since I’m going to be at the North Beach office for the next couple of
weeks, I figured it would be best if I delegate a few of the tasks, that’s all.”

  Clara felt uneasy about Mike’s tone but grabbed a pen so she could be ready.

  “A couple of weeks? That’s unusual for you.”

  “Yeah, there’s a few big-ticket items that need my attention here. Plus, I could use a break from driving back and forth between the two locations. You guys will be fine. The Solomons office is running like a well-oiled machine,” he responded.

  He became silent on the other end of the line.

  “Mike, before you get started, I want to apologize for being short with you the other night. I think we should set aside some time to talk again, if it’s all right with you.”

  “It’s okay. Really. I understand. I think it’s best that you focus on your sister. I’m sure she really needs you right now,” he said, getting to the point.

  He redirected the conversation, spouting off a list of important items to tackle, remaining professional, and then concluded the call.

  “Great, Clara. That conversation was successful,” she said out loud to herself after hanging up the phone.

  Mae walked in the front door, dusting the bottom of her shoes on the doormat.

  “Good morning, darlin. What are you frowning about so early in the morning?”

  “Oh, Ms. Mae. There isn’t hardly enough time to get into it. Mike’s working out of the North Beach office for the next two weeks… and oh, before I forget, it looks like your tour for this morning was canceled. Sorry, I didn’t catch you soon enough to tell you before you left the house.”

  Mae placed her things down on the back counter.

  “I hope this isn’t a sign of what’s coming. This is literally the third cancellation in the last two weeks. Do you think folks are getting tired of my tours?” she asked.