Page 117 of Here & There

I can’t argue with that.

Chapter 28

Mac

I’ve never considered myself a particularly social person. Which is stupid, because I run a bar, a known social gathering spot. But I like seeing people enjoy themselves while I’m safely at a distance. I like hiring the best, most outgoing staff, who thrive when they’re covered in people.

Like this evening. Tonight is the first milestone in Shelby’s update to my bar, and somehow, the whole goddamn town seems to have heard about it.

Tourists too.

The new patio, which fills what used to be a grassy, empty spot between the bar and the boardwalk that lines this end of the beach, is jammed full of people, half of whom I’ve never seen before. There are several tables full inside too. The heat lamps are fired up outside to ward off the breeze coming in off the ocean even now as the sun’s starting to come down. String lights crisscross across the space, and baskets filled with spring blooms hang on every post. I’ve hired two new servers, plus a handful more kitchen staff, and they’re all working like a well-oiled machine.

If we stopped here, I’d be fuckin’ tickled. This is more business than the Dinghy has seen in years.

But Shelby’s got more plans afoot.

Lana comes up to me, an empty tray under her arm. “Hello, boss.”

I grunt, arms folded, as I look out across the crowd to where Shelby stands next to her friend from the city, who came up for the patio opening.

I’ve just finished an overly long conversation with Fred, before which I was speaking to her mother, who’s brought her surprisingly rowdy sewing circle. I need a little silence for a moment while I take it all in.

“I know I’m interrupting your staring at Shelby time,” Lana says, “but I wanted to catch you alone to tell you this is…incredible.”

I scowl. “I wasn’t staring.”

“You were staring.”

I scrub my face with my hand. “What’s wrong with looking at her?”

“Nothing at all.”

I look down at Lana. She’s probably the closest thing to my best friend, next to Cal, who’s currently yukking it up at the stand-up section of the patio Shelby insisted on including. I thought no one would use a bar area out there, but it turns out people like milling around with a drink where they have a view of the water.

I should know better than to doubt Shelby.

I should also know better than to ask Lana what the hell she’s after, since I know she’s not just making small talk.

I sigh and do it anyway. “Spit it out.”

“Have you told her?”

“Told her what?”

“Oh, you know. That you’re head over heels for her.”

My stomach flips. “Why do you think that?”

Lana gives me a look like I’m twice as stupid as she already thought I was. “Because my senses are all functioning normally, Mac. Besides, a brick wall could see that you’re crazy about her.”

I grit my teeth, then take a swig of the one beer I’ve allowed myself for this opening. “Fine. So what?”

“So she’s set to leave, isn’t she?” Lana asks. “When Chris and I were out for drinks with her and Deanie last night, we were all talking about our summer plans.”

I don’t look at Lana, just at Shelby. She laughs at something Deanie says. I raise a hand to my chest, rubbing involuntarily at my sternum.

“Shelby got quiet,” Lana continues. “She said she had to go back to Vancouver because she had an account she had to handle herself.”

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