Page 15 of Shifting Sands

“I’m not dead yet.”

She smirks, then tosses me a beer. I crack it open and take a long drink.

“Just wait until the end of the weekend and see if you can say that.”

I lean back against the bar, watching the quiet room like I’m seeing it for the first time.

We all pitch in to clean and restock. I empty the tip jars and divvy up the spoils while the servers clean the tables and the floor.

Once we’re done, they head out, and I lock up behind them.

Alone now, I flip off the remaining lights. The stage is empty. The chairs are up. The scent of the night still lingers—citrus and beer and old wood.

I stand behind the bar for a moment longer. My bar.

I built this place for nights like tonight—even if I forgot how much I loved them.

And, yeah, the flirtation, the fake smiles, the not-so-subtle hints—they come with the territory. But so does this: the last song echoing in my ears long after the crowd is gone.

I finish my beer and fling the bottle into the trash. I walk out into the cool night air, carrying the last two trash bags to toss into the dumpster. The street is quiet. The stars are out. My body aches.

And it feels damn good.

Brandee

Dinner at Sabel and Sebby’s is delightful. We eat until we are full, and then we sit out on the deck with coffee and dessert. Sabel shares stories about the island and explains how she and Sebby became friends with Aunt Ida and Uncle Andy after they purchased the cottage next door. They lived there and raised their family until they bought the land across the street and built this home. They kept the cottage and used it as a seasonal rental, which was how Avie and Leia ended up living there. Once Avie reconnected with and eventually married their grandson, Sabel and Sebby gifted the cottage to the newlyweds.

“Wow, that’s quite a story,” Erin says to Avie, who is seated on the swing with Sebastian.

“I know,” Avie agrees as she grins up at her husband. Leia and Sebby are inside, working on a model sailboat the two are building together. “Who could’ve guessed our little tropical fling would lead to this?”

“Speaking of tropical flings, where can one find a hot, handsome island man around here?” Erin asks.

“Erin,” I start to admonish her, but she holds up a hand.

“I’m just curious.”

“I thought you were married, dear,” Sabel says.

“Oh, I am. I’ve got me a hot, handsome mountain man back home, but Brandee here is super single.”

“Super single? What the hell is super single?” I ask.

Jena sighs. “You know, the kind of single that could use a good bedding,” she explains.

My eyes cut to Sabel as I feel the flush crawling up my neck. “Geezus, you guys. Sabel, I’m so sorry.”

The older woman just laughs.

“Oh, please. Sabel’s spent enough time with me and my friends. Trust me, nothing surprises her,” Avie says.

Erin glances at Jena. “Yep, totally Leona.”

Sebastian clears his throat. “If you all want to drink, dance, listen to some good music, and meet”—he air-quotes—“ ‘hot island guys,’ I’d recommend checking out Whiskey Joe’s. It’s a country bar located just off the island at the end of the east bridge.”

“Yeah, I agree. Whiskey Joe’s is definitely the place to meet people. Especially this weekend. My friend Audrey said Cody Banks and his band are playing. It should be a good time,” Avie says.

“Cody Banks? Oh, I love his music,” Jena says, then looks at me. “Can we go tonight?”

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