Page 8 of Unexpected Entanglement

“What’s good here?” Chris asked the man in his early twenties in front of him.

The guy turned to him and grinned. “What’s not good?”

“Well, that’s a glowing review.”

“You just got off the ferry?” The guy looked over to where Chris’ bike was parked. “I saw you rolling in. Cool bike!”

“Thanks.” Chris smiled.

“What kind of a motorcycle is it?”

“It’s a BMW R 18.”

“Sweet ride. Where did you ride it from?” asked the excited man.

“New York.”

“No shit. How does it handle on the highway?”

“Steady. But I mostly drove the side roads, taking my time and enjoying the scenery. You know?” Chris grinned as he recalled his two-day ride.

He chose a slower, leisurely ride on the motorcycle he kept in the garage most of the year. He rode it on a beautiful day once in a while, but for a couple of weeks every summer, he liked to ride it home for his annual visit with his father. First, it was for the free feeling of riding alone on a powerful beast. Second, it pissed the hell out of his father. Yes, it was childish of him,but nothing tickled him more than to see the scowl on George Sullens’ face every time he rolled in on his motorcycle.

“Cool.” The other man nodded, agreeing that he knew exactly what Chris meant.

The proprietor of Gary’s Food Truck finally opened the windows for business, and the line quickly started moving. Chris glanced at his watch. Eleven. Perfect time for an early lunch of lobster roll and fries.

After a short wait, Chris finally got food. There were a couple of picnic tables near the truck, but he sat on a huge rock by the water’s edge, facing the harbor, to enjoy his lunch. He didn’t realize how hungry he was and went for his first bite.

“Oh, that is good,” he murmured as the taste of fresh juicy lobster meat dressed lightly in seasoned mayonnaise in a perfectly toasted bun hit his tongue. Such a simple meal, but it hit the spot.

He devoured the rest of the roll in four more bites. And while he munched on the fries, a seal popped its head out of the water less than ten yards from him.

“Well, hello there.” Chris grinned at the animal, which proceeded to swim around anchored boats toward a rocky islet across the other side of the cove’s mouth. Another seal wasn’t too far behind.

Great lobster rolls and casual seal watching—two points for Vinalhaven.

Chris pulled out his phone and sent some pictures of the view and the quaint port town to the person who was the reason he was on the island in the first place.

He texted,Arrived in Vinalhaven. It’s beautiful out here.

A few seconds later, his phone lit up with a call from his friend, Rae Allen.

“Those pictures are gorgeous,” Rae exclaimed after Chris barely said hello. “You saw seals?”

“I did.”

“My gosh, I can’t believe I’ve never been there.” Rae sounded like an eager girl who had never left her little town instead of the well-known world traveler that she was. That enthusiasm was what endeared her to her followers.

“You have a reason now. You’re a landowner,” Chris pointed out.

The reminder seemed to dampen her excitement. A couple of weeks back, Rae had received letters with devastating news, which had compelled Chris to offer her his assistance.

“You know I don’t care about the land my father left me,” Rae said.

“It is still a third yours, Rae. I know you didn’t ask for it, and sharing the estate with two other people you don’t know is complicated, but that’s why I’m here.”

Rae’s estranged father, Neal Kelly, had passed away, leaving a large estate to his children—Rae and the two children he’d actually raised. Chris felt it was thoughtless for Rae’s father to do this from the grave. Why wouldn’t he have reached out to the daughter he’d abandoned as a child while he’d still been breathing? Why push her into this awkward situation with practical strangers?

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