Page 48 of Stony Point Summer
“Good to meet you.” Patrick claps Shane’s hand. “Bradford, you say? Any relation to Kyle?”
“He’s my brother.”
“No kidding. Now that you mention it, you two look alike.” Patrick steps back, cuffing his white shirtsleeves beneath a black vest. “You sticking around long?”
“Just for the weekend,” Shane answers. “Then it’s back on the boat.”
“That right? What do you do?”
“I’m a lobsterman, out of Rockport.”
Patrick eyes him closely. “Wow, you’re the real deal.”
“Yep. This is the longest I’ve been around landlubbers in some time.”
“We’re not that bad, you know,” Celia says from her barstool beside Shane.
“Some of you are all right.” Shane gives her a slight wink.
“So what brings you ashore, Bradford?” Patrick asks.
“Came here for the big event at the beach tomorrow night.”
“Grand opening of the Ocean Star Inn,” Celia adds.
“Finally!” Patrick squints through the bar’s dim light. “Now Celia, aren’t you …”
“Assistant innkeeper, working side by side with Elsa. And believe me, tomorrow night’s been a long,longtime coming. We’re so looking forward to it.”
“Congratulations, then! And a drink on the house to celebrate.” Patrick slides a plastic bowl of pretzels their way. “What’ll it be, you two?”
“Give me a Dark and Stormy with a twist of lime, my man.” Shane spins his stool to face Celia.
“A Seven and Seven for me,” she says, looking from Patrick to Shane.
* * *
Shane never turns his stool away from Celia. The entire time they sip their drinks and talk at the bar, he sits facing her and notices details of her features. Her clear hazel eyes, watching his. Her smooth skin, dewy from the heat. The casual look of her lace-trimmed black tank top and denim cutoffs. The easy way she leans her chin on her open palm. He shifts on his stool with a realization, right as a song plays on the jukebox, some tune about feeling lost, and rolling down the highway on a bike, and trying to get things right. To get life right.
Ah, hasn’t Shane been there … And it’s not a good place, that’s for damn sure.
But tonight? Tonight he’s finally getting it right. Gettinghislife right. He’s back in Stony Point, under good terms. He’ll be seeing and talking to his brother again tomorrow. Congratulating Elsa, too—who opened her doors to him when no one else would.
And there’s more.
There’s this beautiful woman beside him.
Getting his life right? Without a doubt. Because Shane’s also finding there’s actually nothing better, nothing more right, than just sitting with Celia Gray.
In a rowboat on the night water nearly three weeks ago, when he first met her.
On a porch ledge, eating Pizza Palace cold-cut grinders.
On his living room couch, when she emotionally broke down in front of him.
Riding in his salty pickup.
Sitting on well-worn barstools.
