Page 16 of Always in Watch Hill
TEN
JUSTIN
She was gone. I wasalone again. As usual.
And my next guests would arrive soon.
I entered the cottage to start the usual cleanup. In the last several months, I’d gotten down the rhythm: wash any used dishes, dust, vacuum, polish the mirrors, scrub the bathroom, switch out the sheets, replace the towels, straighten the books. The routine usually took less than two hours, and in a way, I’d come to enjoy it as a welcome break from the endless staring at screens that came with trading stocks and cryptocurrency.
Lynne was a tidy guest.
I probably could have pegged her that way—she made travel her business, and the neat, monogrammed luggage she toted with her from Chicago had driven home that point. Apart from a few dirty towels and a slept-in bed, she hardly left any trace of her week-long presence at my place. She even took care to wash the coffee mugs she used.
I moved through the space, giving the whole place a refresh. Tomorrow, a family of four would check in, and I wanted to make sure they’d find the cottage comfortable and sparkling. I’d just put a new fitted sheet on the bed when I saw a gold watch underneath the bedframe, about a half inch away from the headboard. I dropped to my knees and picked it up. Gold fitted band, mother of pearl face, Roman numerals.
And an unmistakable inscription in the back:To Lynne, all my love, Dad.
Hmm. She’d miss this for sure, and I suspected it wouldn’t take long. I slipped the watch into my pocket. It was almost dinnertime, and once I got something to eat, I’d check her booking information for her address. If I couldn’t find it, I’d reach out over social media.
My stomach rumbled.Time to eat.
Sam’s Deli was one of the haunts I frequented before the pandemic, a place with excellent pours and the kind of friendly atmosphere that made it feel like home away from home. It didn’t take much consideration to decide to eat there, and I took a seat at the edge of the bar, right next to the stool my uncle often called his favorite. “From here, I can see all the patrons, and the TVs,” he used to say whenever we’d arrive for a quick meal or a drink after work. “Best seat in the house.”
I couldn’t bring myself to take his spot, but I could still take the one I often used. That felt good. Right. Comfortable.
“There you are, man,” Grayson called when he realized I’d arrived. “Haven’t seen you in forever.”
“Been a long time.Toolong.”That needs to change.
“Let me guess—you’re looking for the usual.” He took a beer glass from the nearby ledge and poured a glass of signature Dunkel from the tap. “We still carry it, so at least that hasn’t changed.”
“Good. A lot of other things have.”
Grayson’s gaze fell on the empty stool beside me. “I’m sorry about Charles, man. He was a good guy. And I’m sorry we didn’t have a chance to really see him off.” He placed the fresh drink in front of me. “That was a shame.”
“At least the virus took him quickly. He didn’t suffer too much.”
