“I still mostly drink iced. Even when it’s below zero outside.” I tapped the straw on the desk to open the wrapper. After stabbing the top of the cup with the straw, I took a sip and tasted the cream and sugar.
“Thank you. This is perfect.” His shoulders relaxed as he leaned back in the chair. We still knew each other, but we didn’t. We were strangers who shared memories.
“I told Joe I’d be here for most of the morning—not sure how long you wanted to meet.” He took a sip of his own coffee and crossed his legs.
“Not too long, today.” I handed him the estimate folder. “I’m guessing you’d want to keep the decor the same as Ocean Cove, so I scoped out wood shiplap and the same type of bar stools. Not sure how specific you want to get or if you’d like to change up anything. It’s your space, so you can feel free to fill it however you’d like. If you want to bring in your own contractors for some of the work, you can, but I’d need to get them approved.”
He nodded as he skimmed through the folder. “I like the idea of keeping it mostly the same. It doesn’t matter if the same crew does the renovations or not. Besides, I’m not sure if some of them are still around anyway.” He snickered. “Joe and I bartered from everyone in the area to get everything done at the beginning.”
“Bartered?” I asked.
“He had money saved, but he, wellwe, I guess, basically gutted out the whole space and rebuilt it. It was weird coming from New York to that small town we’ll-all-pitch-in type of mentality. One of our neighbors, at the time, was a retired contractor and did the walls for free. So we’d really have nothing to compare the price to.” He shrugged.
“That’s pretty amazing that you had that kind of help.”
He nodded. “It’s a big reason why I felt so at home here, and why I guess Joe wanted to move out here in the first place. Not that I don’t miss the old neighborhood, but you’ll find even around here, small towns show up for each other.” His smile faded before his eyes grew. “I’m sorry if I sounded like an asshole just now.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Why would you say that? It’s great that you both found community out here, why would that make you sound like an asshole?”
He raked his hand through his hair. That one stray curl draped over his brow and distracted me more than his mouth.
“I guess, after we talked, it feels mean to talk about coming out here.” He grimaced at me. “I’m sorry.”
I shook my head. “Please don’t be sorry. I don’t want you to walk on eggshells around me all summer. We…we got it all out there and it’s okay.”
I didn’t sayfine, because it still stung, but he was trying, and so would I.
“Like I told you, Iamhappy you found what you were looking for out here. And knowing you, you probably know everyone between Ocean Cove and Pentier Beach by their first names,” I couldn’t help my eye roll, “so that can help all of us.”
His mouth twisted into a smirk as he dangled the coffee cup at his side. “Still getting on my case for that?”
“For what?”
“You don’t remember giving me grief in Florida for talking toeveryonewe saw.”
“And you said it was to make up for how antisocial I was. Which Iwasn’t.” I slurped my coffee and glowered at him over my straw. “Do you want me to get estimates on setting up a stage area so you can sing for your fans?”
He chuckled as his smile became wistful. “I haven’t sang since that weekend.”
“Even with the live bands that come to The Beach Pub? I figured that you wouldn’t be able to help yourself.” I laughed, but the smile evaporated from his lips.
“The last time I sang was to you.”
The air between us became thin as our eyes locked. I didn’t know what to do with that, or what to say. We sat in a loaded, heavy silence until Dominic shifted in his seat and cleared his throat.
“Is it okay if I give Joe a quick call? I forgot the name of the flooring company that we used. I know they’re still around and could probably give you a better price than this.”
“Oh, sure.” I stammered a bit before pointing into the hallway. “There’s an extra office next to this one or you could go outside but there’s a lot of drilling going on in the front. I guess you’d rather be able to hear Joe when you speak.” A nervous laugh bubbled up from my chest, and he flashed me a shy grin.
“Thanks. I’ll be right back.”
I dropped my head into my hands with a groan. It was hard to stop looking back on a life that didn’t exist anymore.
13
Thea
“Hey Thea,can you do me a favor?”
