Chapter 29 #2
I don’t really understand how or why all of these people came to help, but they did.
They dropped everything—Lainey and Benny and Miles and Mrs. Miller—all closing their own businesses for a bit to come, none of them expecting anything in return.
However, I did inform June that, for safety and legal reasons, they would need to go through the quick process of being temporary hires for the day and would be paid accordingly.
Strangely, everyone she pulled in tried to argue that fact, but Sutton reluctantly informed them it was procedure and unavoidable.
Every position is manned and then some, with June and Sutton running from zone to zone to go over quick protocols for each location.
Claire manages the beach aspect, bringing one of the Rec department’s lifeguards with her.
Lainey and Benny work as bartenders. Jonah and Decker handle the kids’ club, Mrs. Miller mans the gift shop, and Grant, Sutton, and Miles help out wherever else we need.
Claire and Sutton somehow even convinced their brother and his wife to help, since they were staying with Miles and Claire for the weekend.
Somehow, some way, the day is a success.
When the Mayor comes with his big scissors, June smiles, schmoozes him like a pro, and sets up the perfect shots for social media. Mayor Mosely insists I be in a few photos, and after two with just us, I pull June in, knowing she is the only reason this entire day wasn’t a complete dumpster fire.
I’ve witnessed many opening-day catastrophes and employee issues.
This is not the first time a large number of employees have gotten sick at the same time, though it’s the first time this has happened on opening day.
But this is the first time it’s been resolved quickly, purely because people wanted to help out.
It’s that Seaside Point magic at work once more.
It’s after dinner when I finally let myself take in a deep breath.
People are enjoying a meal on the deck or the beach, and Claire and her lifeguard are about to pack it in for the day.
The second round of employees for the evening shift are here, as are a few who were sick but felt well enough to come in, though we told them they didn’t have to.
It seems June is once again correct in that loyalty runs deep in this town.
They all want to help out, to see this place succeed.
It’s such a stark difference to the way I felt when I first arrived here, when all the locals murmured that this place was bad for the town, was just a cash grab that was going to hurt the locals.
Now, just like June, they want it to succeed.
June was right when she said we needed to get more involved in the town.
She must feel me watching her where she’s running some crafts with the kids, because her head lifts, turning in my direction.
When she sees me, she winks. I smile back, and her eyes go soft, but a kid runs at her, grabbing her hand and dragging her off before she can make her way to me.
I watch her get pulled away laughing, completely enamored by her.
It sinks in fully then: I don’t want to leave.
Ever.
I don’t want to leave June or, strangely enough, Seaside Point. For the first time in my life, I belong somewhere and have this strange urge to root myself.
I want to spend every morning waking with June in my bed, and to go to bed every night hearing the waves crashing on the shore. I want to stay in Seaside Point for as long as this little town will have me.
I don’t know what it means for my career or how Rowan will react to the news when he comes next week, but I know in my gut it’s the right choice. If I have to take a lower salary, commute to Hudson City, or find a new job altogether, I will.
I’m still mulling over this revelation, lost in my thoughts, when someone calling my name snaps me out of it. Decker and Grant are standing beside me, smiles on their faces. I wonder how long they’ve been there, watching me.
“Come on, have a beer with us,” Decker says, tipping his head toward the bar where Lainey is laughing with a guest.
Surprising as it is, I don’t want to leave this, either.
I wouldn’t call these people my friends, but they’re slowly becoming something more than mere acquaintances, even if Grant always looks at me with a healthy dose of skepticism.
My night at the Seabreeze was enjoyable, and when we spent the afternoon at the bay, I liked chatting with the guys who consider themselves part of her crew, talking about nothing in particular.
I don’t think I’ve ever hung out with a group, talking about random shit without the conversation inevitably veering to work, opportunities, and, of course, as June loves to bring up, networking.
No one in Seaside Point seems to actually want anything from me,
Except for June, who, even if she won’t say it just yet, I know wants everything.
And I’m more than happy to give that to her.
Being lost in thought must be taken as hesitation, because Grant throws an arm around my shoulder, steering me toward the bar.
“A beer won’t kill you,” he says. At the bar, Lainey gets us each a beer before I lead them to a spot on the beach that’s a bit more secluded and not overloaded with guests.
From here, I can still see June, who, when she spotted me walking with her brother, gave me a huge grin and a thumbs up, the nut.
Once we sit, Decker forces us to cheers, something I’m pleased to see Grant and Miles roll their eyes at before we all sit back, taking in the scene before us.
Guests mill about on the sand, chatting and laughing, some taking in the last few sun rays, others packing up.
Every table in the outdoor seating for the restaurant is filled, and I know it’s the same on the pool deck.
“This place is amazing,” Miles says, looking around.
“I’ve been the number one hater of this place, what with how sketchy the old company was with growing it, but this is perfect.
Adds to the town without taking anything away, isn’t too uptight, but also a bit of a nicer experience than just getting a beach badge. ”
“I couldn’t have done it without June,” I say, eyes still on her. She laughs, chasing a little girl who has escaped from the kids’ area, then lifting them up and over her shoulder. The girl laughs, squealing as June brings her back to the group.
“You two work well together,” Grant says, and I turn to him, he’s taking me in with a skeptical older brother eye.
“Is this where I get the if you hurt my sister, talk?”
“No,” Grant says, sitting back, casual as can be, sipping his beer.
I’m not buying it in the least.
“Because you don’t want witnesses?” I ask, lifting an eyebrow.
“No. Because I don’t have to give you that warning.”
I look at him, a bit skeptical, but take it as a win all the same.
“Oh. Well. That’s good, I suppose. June told me you were going to be a bit protective, but sometimes she likes to tell me shit just to—”
Grant’s smile grows wider.
“I don’t have to, because if you hurt her, there will be at least three other people ahead of me in line, so it won’t even matter. I won’t even get to you first. “
“I’m sorry?”
‘Claire, for one,” Miles says with a nod, already on the same page as his best friend. “Claire tells me regularly she wants to kick someone’s ass.”
I look behind him at where the small blonde is chatting with some guests.
“And you could probably take Claire,” Decker says, “But then you’d have to deal with Miles if you hurt Claire.”
“Fair enough,” I say with a nod.
“And then if there’s anything left, you’ve got to deal with Nate.”
I met Nate today, Claire’s older brother, and it’s clear he has a deep soft spot not just for his sisters, but whoever his sisters deem to be one of their people.
“Got it,” I say with a nod. “Just don’t let June find out, okay? She’s under the impression we’re all going to be friends.”
The three men look at one another, a bit confused.
“We are,” Decker says with a shrug. “Consider it a double-duty celebration. We’re also celebrating you passing the vibe check. You’re officially one of us.”
“I’m sorry?”
“We all love June, but we wouldn’t be here all day on a Friday if we didn’t also like you, too,” Grant says.
“You’re good for this place. If today crashed and burned, you’d probably have to high-tail it out of town, if you didn’t get canned.
So welcome to Seaside Point,” he says, tipping his beer to me.
It’s not the rousing endorsement of friendship that I think June wants for me, but it’s good enough for me.
“Pleasure to be here,” I say, reaching out to tap my bottle to the other men’s.
Friends.
I guess it’s not too bad after all.
I have to drag June out of Daytrip at eight when she yawns a dozen times in ten minutes, her bright smile no longer able to mask her exhaustion.
It’s been a long week and an even longer day, but since I know she will refuse to take tomorrow off, with it being the first official weekend open, I need her to get home and get some sleep before we do it all over again.
She nearly falls asleep in the car, and I just barely resist threatening to carry her through the lobby and into my place.
Thankfully, she brought a bag of things there on Wednesday, so she has what she needs for bedtime.
We shower together, not for any sexual reason, but because I’m afraid she might fall asleep.
After we finish getting ready, we climb into bed, where I hold her as her breathing evens out.
I think she’s already fast asleep, so I’m surprised when she speaks.
“How do you feel?” she asks, low. “About today?”
“Good,” I say.
She turns in my arms, a sleepy smile on her lips. “Good?”
“Yeah. I feel…. I've done this a bunch of times, been there for grand openings and been a huge part of it, but it's never felt as good as it did today. As satisfying and fulfilling.”
She tips her chin at me. “Because it was your own project? You really did great, Graham.”
I smile at her in the dim moonlight and shake my head, pushing her hair back behind her ear.
“No, June. Because I had people to celebrate it with. Every success has felt empty for years, and today I realized it wasn’t because it wasn’t impressive enough or because I wasn’t the project lead.
It was because I wasn’t doing it with anyone.
I had no one to celebrate with. Today, I had you and your…
our…crew, and I finally felt…satisfied.”
She smiles, her lip wavering and her eyes watering, though I’m sure it’s mostly exhaustion making her emotional.
“Good thing I convinced you friends are better than networking and work opportunities, huh?” she says as I brush one of the tears away with my thumb.
“You’re the luckiest thing that ever happened to me, June,” I murmur, pressing my lips to her forehead.
“Now go to sleep, lady luck, or I’m not letting you go in until noon tomorrow.
” She scrunches her nose, but instead of arguing, she tips her head, presses her lips to mine, and snuggles into my chest and falls asleep.