Page 87 of Fire Island
“Okay.” She gives her a little awkward smile.
“Oh, I know that face. What happened?” Iris says.
“Ah, some guy came in asking odd questions.” Paige glances at me.
“Told him to take a hike,” Errol says.
That’s the first time I’ve ever seen Errol defend a McCreary.
Wow, news sure travels fast in small towns. I’m guessing the fact that Ava is alive has shocked a lot of folks.
Maybe even Errol’s softened.
“Don’t need any more riffraff from your lot coming around here. He can go back to where he came from.” Errol bites his sandwich like it killed his firstborn.
Well, there goes that theory.
“How do you figure he’s ‘one of our lot’?” Iris asks, using air quotes.
“Why would anyone else bother with a McCreary? Has to be family. Maybe that brother of yours owes the guy money...” Errol’s contemplating his theories when it hits me.
“What did he say his name was?” I ask.
Errol’s gaze is still sour when it swings round to me. “Didn’t. And I wasn’t bothered to ask.”
Helpful. Really helpful.
“Well,” Iris says to Paige, “if he comes back, ring me if I’m not here, okay?”
“Will do,” she says with a smile, then wanders out to the tables to pick up and check on patrons.
I slide onto the stool by Errol, and he glances sideways at me, chewing.
I see some things never change.
I text Cal, letting him know Iris and I are done. We can go home anytime now. The sooner I’m back on Fire Island with Cal, the better. Coming to town is nice, but I miss our solitude. The one place where we are just us. No peopling to be done. No rude pedestrians. No hateful old men.
Just us.
Firefly slips in by the jetty, and I haul my bags from the deck and drop them over the side onto the wood. Cal kills the engine as I step over, grabbing my bags. He follows, his overnighter in one hand as he catches up with me, taking my bag.
“In a hurry, baby girl?”
“Done with other people, is all. And so glad to be home.”
He chuckles, but it catches in his throat. When I feel him hang behind, I stop and turn back. “What are you doing?”
He simply stares at me.
I drop the bags to the grassy ground. His falls from his hand as he closes the distance between us. His hands cup my face before he’s even in my space. Sliding my arms around his neck,I arch up as his mouth crashes down to my lips. He pulls away breathlessly, and I search his face. “What’s this about?”
He swallows, hard. “I didn’t think I would ever get this.”
The chance of having love?
I shift on my feet, running a hand down his chest. “So, about that...”
His expression blanks, hands falling from my face. He sets his jaw, like this is the moment he’s been waiting for. That deadly blow he’s certain is coming.
