The news made Cavin feel even less at ease.
“If you hadn’t walked away from me, maybe you would be going home with me instead of this dingbatter,” the man contested.
Cavin’s brow furrowed.What was a dingbatter?Did the drunk guy just create a new word?
“I doubt that,” Georgia hissed.
“You’ve gone home with me before,” he retorted.
“That’s the end of this conversation,” Georgia exclaimed.“Let’s go,” she insisted to Cavin.“And don’t worry, he’s harmless.”
“She’s right, I’m harmless, but Miss Big Shot here isn’t.She’s trying to ruin this town,” he claimed then paused.“Be careful who you go home with, especially in a small town, mister.Everybody knows everybody’s business around here.”
“You need to mind your own business,” Georgia barked as she reached for Cavin’s hand and led them away.
“Don’t let her tell you what to do, man.Be a man.”
Cavin figured things would likely work out best if he let Georgia’s words be the last.Although that guy seemed hammered and obviously jealous not to be the one walking beside this beautiful woman, he actually gave sound advice whether he meant to or not.
“Who is that guy?”Cavin asked once out of earshot.
“His name is Keaton, and although he can be a nuisance, he’s not really a bad person.He just has a sad story.”
“That’s unfortunate,” Cavin acknowledged.
“I am sorry he harassed us,” Georgia apologized.
Cavin glanced over his shoulder.“Do you think we have to worry about him following us?”
“Probably not,” Georgia replied, looking back.
After a few moments of silence, the wind blowing off the creek reminded Cavin of the temperature.“Speaking of stories, what is yours?”he asked, digging his hands into his pockets.“Where are you from and how did you end up in Beaufort?”
“I grew up in Boston, graduated from Boston College, took a position as an attorney for a large corporation, and traveled abroad handling casework for a while, then ended up here a few years ago.Now I am on my own.”
“What drew you to Beaufort?”
“My family vacationed here every summer when I was a kid.I absolutely adored the place and still do.I have so many fond memories of swimming in the creek, going out on the boat, getting sunburned on the nearby beaches, and exploring all the coastal areas.I still have friends here now who I met back then.The mayor and his wife are from here.”
“I kind of figured that with their accents,” Cavin assumed.
“Then I guess you realized I am not from here.”
“I speculated you were from up North, but it seems the time spent traveling abroad probably influenced your accent.”
“My travels influenced my whole life, which is why I now want to bring more opportunities to Beaufort.”
Those words were music to Cavin’s ears.“Like what?”he investigated.
“More diverse restaurants, luxury hotels, shopping, gated communities, golf courses, and the like.This area draws a plethora of wealthy tourists, and I think we can capitalize a lot more on what they bring to the table.”
“What’s holding Beaufort back?”Cavin asked.
“Tradition, old money, farmers, nostalgia...”
“That sounds normal for a small coastal town.”
“Yeah.So what is your story, Mr.Dawson?”
