Chapter 21
Seals give great advice. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Hazel
I skip up the walkway to my apartment building. I’m ridiculous, but I can’t help it. Ever since Miles and I won the Bootlegger Escape Room Festival, I’ve been riding a high.
After Miles thoroughly kissed me in front of the town after we finished the escape room, he escorted me to Rumrunner, where Harper announced we’d won the festival. Let the drinking begin!
Miles took care of me throughout the night. He made sure I had enough water to drink, got some food in my stomach, and scared away any men who dared to glance in my direction. I haven’t felt that safe and protected in years.
When the night was over, he escorted me home. He made sure I had a bottle of water and some aspirin next to my bed, kissed me goodnight, and left.
I was a bit disappointed after all the kissing and touching and heated glances all night but when Miles messaged the second he got home to tell me he was thinking of me, my disappointment disappeared in a poof of air.
I need to watch myself. I’m falling in love with Miles again and I should know better. Scratch that. I do know better.
But I can’t seem to stop myself. Especially after he had Parker from Pirate’s Pastries stop by with an extra-large coffee and a baked peaches and cream whiskey muffin the next morning. Parker usually doesn’t do deliveries. Her bakery is busy enough without adding a delivery service to the mix.
My phone rings and I answer without checking who’s calling. It’s probably Miles.
“Hello!” I practically sing.
“Ms. Harris. This is Major Phillips calling from the VA hospital.”
My heart pounds in my chest. This is good news, right? He wouldn’t call to tell me I didn’t get the job. Or would he?
“Major Phillips. It’s nice to hear from you.”
“You should call me Ed. Especially since we’re going to be working together.”
I gasp. “I got the job?”
“You got the job.”
“Whoop!”
He chuckles. “The HR department sent you a letter with the official offer, including salary and benefits, but I wanted to let you know.”
“Thank you.”
“I look forward to working with you. Let me know what you think of the offer.”
He rings off and I collapse on my couch. Thank the moonshine! I got the job. I can work full-time as a therapist. Bye-bye restaurant work. I won’t miss you.
But I will miss this island. There’s no way I can work at the VA hospital and still live on Smuggler’s Hideaway. Not with all the traffic. Especially in the summer when tourists descend on the island.
This is my home. My family is here. My friends. Miles.
No. Nope. No way. I am not making any decisions based on a man – no matter how sexy said man is. I will decide whether to accept this job based on all kinds of factors – excluding my hormones.
What am I going to do? Accept my dream job or stay on the island? I drop my face in my hands.
I do the one thing I always do when I need to think. I grab my phone and keys and go in search of Pinkie.
I ride my bike out of the town of Smuggler’s Cove. Maybe I’ll ride to Rogue’s Landing or to Pirate’s Perch on the other side of the island. Maybe I’ll ride up to Mermaid Mystical Gardens. Maybe I’ll—
I hit my brakes and barely manage to screech to a halt before colliding with the gray lump in the middle of the road.
“Sammy!” I scold once I’ve managed to park my bike on the side of the road.
My hands are still shaking when I sit down next to the seal. “You’re not supposed to be sleeping on the road. What if I was a car? I would have hit you.”
He barks.
“I was paying attention.”
He honks.
“I was!”
He grunts.
“Ugh! You’re one to talk. You’re barring the whole road. You can’t complain about my driving skills when you’re creating chaos.”
He grunts.
“It’s still chaos even if I’m the only person affected.”
Sammy glances away – the disapproval clear in his eyes. Don’t ask me how a seal can appear disappointed. But know – this one can.
“What do you think, Sammy?” I prop myself against a tree and settle in for a gab with the one man on the island who won’t talk back. “Should I stay or should I go?”
Sammy meets my gaze before shuffling a bit closer. Phew. He’s nearly on the shoulder. He should be safe from any cars now.
“I have a great job offer. It’s at a VA hospital. I love working with veterans. They are one motivated bunch. Plus, my boss is totally cool. Wicked smart. Always informed about the latest developments in therapy. It would be a great learning experience.”
He barks.
“Huh. It does sound as if I’ve already made up my mind.”
A car screeches to a halt. I frown when Miles steps out. “What are you doing here?”
He wiggles his phone at me. “I saw you on the Sammy app.”
Sammy the seal has his own app. He’s a celebrity. People visit the island to go ‘Sammy spotting’. You can mark sightings of Sammy in the app. Anyone who manages ten sightings in one weekend, gets free drinks at Five Fathoms Brewing.
“Saw me?”
“The Sammy app includes video now.”
“I knew I should have voted against the mayor’s idea of putting up cameras all over town.”
“It’s for our safety.”
“And violates our privacy.”
Miles grins as he sits next to me. “Violates our privacy because you don’t want to get caught streaking through downtown?”
I elbow him. “I’m not the one who got caught streaking through downtown while carrying a raccoon.”
“Not any old raccoon. It was Rogue from Rogue’s Landing. The people of Rogue’s Landing hadn’t even realized I’d stolen their live mascot.”
It’s tradition on the island to ‘steal’ the live mascot from other towns. Smuggler’s Rest has an otter named Viking. No one has a chance of stealing him since Parker keeps him close to her at all times. Rogue’s Landing has the raccoon. And Pirate’s Perch has a dirty-mouthed parrot.
“I can’t believe Rogue didn’t bite you.”
He grins. “He likes me.”
Sammy barks.
“And I like you, too, Sammy.”
“You and animals. You’re almost as good with them as my brothers.”
“Whoa! No one is as good with animals as Thomas and Ian. Those sheep would jump off a cliff for your brothers.”
“Let’s hope not. Sounds bloody.”
Silence falls but it doesn’t last long. “You going to tell me what’s wrong?”
I wasn’t planning on it. “Why do you think anything’s wrong?”
He motions toward my bike. “You only ride your bike when you’re upset or drunk. You’re not drunk. You must be upset.”
“How do you know I’m not drunk? Maybe I had a boozy brunch with cocktails.”
He lifts his eyebrow and waits. I blow out a breath.
“Fine. I didn’t have a boozy brunch.”
He nudges me with his shoulder. “What’s wrong? Why are you upset? Do you need me to ruin someone’s life?”
“You can ruin someone’s life?”
He snorts. “Have you met my brothers?”
He’s not wrong.
“Come on. Tell me what’s wrong. I can’t fix it if I don’t know what it is.”
“You don’t need to fix anything. I can handle anything life throws at me.”
He drops an arm around my shoulders and draws me near. “I know you can. But you don’t have to. You have me now.”
I wish I had him. I wish I could trust him to stay when the staying gets tough. But I can’t. He’s already bored with his job at the distillery. What happens when the newness of our relationship has worn off? Will his boredom chase him away from Smuggler’s Hideaway again?
I push those thoughts away. I have enough on my plate without worrying about Miles.
“I got a job.”
“Yes! How exciting! We should celebrate. Drinks, dinner, dancing, karaoke. The whole shebang!”
I stop him before he can jump to his feet. “It’s not on the island.”
He freezes. “Not on the island?”
“If I accept the job, I’m moving.”
“I thought you loved this island.”
“I do. I love Smuggler’s Hideaway, but I can’t stay here if there isn’t work for me.”
“What if you could find a job on the island? Would you stay?”
“Silly question. There are no jobs for me on Smuggler’s Hideaway.”
“You didn’t answer the question.”
I roll my eyes. “If a miracle occurred and a job for a physical therapist magically appeared in the Easter Bunny’s basket, then, yes, I would stay.”
“Okay. Good to know.” He squeezes my hand. “Now, tell me all about this job.”
I proceed to tell him all about my internship with the Army Medical Retention Processing Unit when I was in grad school. How I met Major Phillips there. How I love working with military members.
I avoid any discussion of moving. Of leaving the only place I’ve ever considered home.
Leaving him. Miles. The only man who’s ever made me feel safe. Not just physically but safe to be me.
My stomach clenches. Can I leave Miles? After I’ve finally given him a second chance?