Chapter Four
Meeting Aubrey felt like something clicked in my world. I was immediately drawn to her as soon as our eyes connected. It feels like I knew her in a previous life and I’ve been searching for her since.
That’s insane, right? That’s not actually a thing? I know I’ve heard a lot of people talk about it, their souls knowing another in a different lifetime. But, I’ve never experienced it. And a conversation with a psychic in Savannah comes screaming back to me.
I was on assignment near Halloween. Doing a haunted tour with a group that ended on River Street. Choosing to walk around, I passed a psychic who stopped me in my tracks.
“You’re lost,” she said to me from the doorway of her shop.
“No I’m fine, thank you though.”
“I don’t mean physically, my boy. Spiritually. Your soul, it’s unfulfilled, unhappy.”
She stopped me from walking by, her words mirroring my thoughts. How did she know everything I’d been contemplating lately?
“Your soul is searching. Not only for the one it belongs with, but for its home. You’ve been all over this world and not one place has ever felt like home to you. Come, come in and sit.” She gestured for me to come in and sit at the table behind the stereotypical door made of beads.
I don’t know why I followed her, but I did.
“You won’t be happy until you find the one your soul considers home. Home for you is a person, not a place. No matter how much searching you do, you won’t find it.”
”I might.” I counter her, challenging her to be wrong, God, I hoped she was wrong.
“You won’t. Your missing half isn’t near. But don’t fret, your time is coming. You need to go through something first, something that will make you question everything you’re doing now. Both of you.” She pulls out a deck of tarot cards.
“Thank you, but I’m all set.” I stand to leave. I’d seen that trick too many times. They hook you, pull you into their tricks and then you owe them money. Even if everything she’s saying is spot on.
“If you insist. I can feel that you’re closed off. But I’m here when you’re open.” She winked at me and let me leave.
I’ll never forget the uneasy feeling that washed over my body that night. Her words lived in my head because after that, I did in fact go through hell.
“Sooooo, Aubrey is pretty.” My sister, Emma, bumps into my arm with her shoulder as we walk the path through the woods back to our family inn.
“Yeah, she is. But don’t you go getting any ideas in your head.”
Secretly, I want Emma and the girls to get ideas. I’m too shy to make the first move, but I’ll be damned if that pull to her isn’t strong. Something about her screams home, leaving the psychic’s words to continue echoing in my mind.
“I’m offended that you think that I’m already plotting how to set you two up.” She places her hand on her chest.
“Ha! I know you. I bet the four of you already talked about it and got Aggie to join your cause.”
“Whatever. Is it a crime to want my brother to be happy? It was nice to see you smile so much tonight. It’s been awhile since it’s seemed genuine. We were starting to worry if I’m being honest.” She holds out her hand. “Give me your phone?”
“What for?” I raise my brow, not trusting a damn thing she’s doing.
“Just give me your damn phone.” She thrusts her hand closer to me.
”Fine.” Reaching into my pocket I pull out my phone and place it in her hand.
She opens it, holding it up to my face presumably to unlock it. She taps at the screen, smiling the whole time. When I try to peek over her shoulder she turns so I can’t see.
“Here you go. I texted Aubrey for you.” She hands my phone back to me with a grin like a Cheshire cat.
My phone is open to my text messages.
Me: It was really nice meeting you tonight. I enjoyed our time together. Maybe we could do it again?
“Seriously? You asked her on a date!”
“I’m helping you. You could be a little more grateful.” She jogs ahead to join Roman, linking her hand with his.
Sighing, I lock my phone and slip it into my back pocket.
I will not look at it incessantly until she texts back. Or doesn’t.
I arrived in Hemlock Cove last night. I wanted to see how the check-in at the inn was at a later than usual time for the families who drive in after work.
I was happy when Dottie’s smiling face was there to greet me at nine p.m. She never acted like I was an inconvenience for coming late and my room was immaculately set up with a chocolate mint on my pillow.
This morning I will be diving into the continental breakfast, and trying not to compare it to Violet’s pastries that have added a few minutes each day to my workout routine.
“Good morning, stud muffin.” Dottie greets me as if she hasn’t been here since early this morning cooking after I made her stay up late. I do feel a little bit bad for that.
“Good morning, Dottie. Breakfast smells amazing.” I peek over at the buffet bar.
“We’ve got steak and eggs, home fries, and an assortment of toasts and bagels. I’ve got some regular old joe coffee, but if you want the good stuff—you know you need to go to see Nora at Salty Shore Roasters.”
“Oh, I know, I’ve experienced her drinks and haven’t stopped thinking about them since I left. I even tried to get Esther over in Balsam Cliffs to recreate them but there’s something about Nora’s coffee that just makes magic in a cup.”
I grab a plate and fill it with food. Dottie is clearly used to feeding a crew that needs something hearty to fill them up in the morning.
And since I’m about to head out on the boat with Kane and Granger, I suppose I fall into that category today.
I’m there to get photos, but I know Granger will put me to work. No one rides for free.
“You little trouble maker. Don’t let me tell Esther you said that or you won’t get coffee until she’s done making you grovel,” she chides.
“You wouldn’t dare…” I stare at her with my eyes wide. It’s a cruel joke to mess with my caffeine intake.
She just walks away laughing to herself and now I’m nervous that she was serious about telling Esther. When I visited before, it was a coincidence to hear that she knew Esther all the way back in my hometown.
Finishing my breakfast while I work on my article for check-in, I add a photo of the inn I took last night before coming in.
Kane: You ready? I’ll be by the inn in five, and I don’t have time for Dottie to interrogate me about when I’m getting married.
Me: Say less. I’ll be waiting outside.
Kane: This is why we’re friends. Also, Granger is absolutely making you work today so I hope you don’t have anything nice on.
Me: I know the rules for Granger’s boat. >
I pack up my laptop and clear my dishes from the table. “See ya later, Dottie.”
She waves from the open kitchen. “Enjoy your day, and tell Granger not to be too hard on ya.”
When I get out front, Kane's truck is sitting in the front driveway.
Opening the back door of his truck, I toss all my equipment on top of pairs of bright yellow and orange waterproof bibs. And, is that a lobster trap?
“Sorry. I’m living out of my truck these days. You’re lucky I got to shower this morning and get clean clothes.” Kane greets me as I hop into the front.
“I thought this was your slow time?”
“Slow for lobsters. Not slow for graphic design or admin shit that bores the fuck out of me for the business.” He shakes his head.
“Granger riding your ass about being more organized in the office?”
“You know it. But I’ve got a shit ton of design work going. I was just hired by a horror author to redo fifteen of his book covers and I’ve got three website designs going.” A perfectly timed yawn escapes him.
“You need a break, man. Burning yourself out isn’t the answer.”
He throws the truck in park at the marina. “Yeah, tell my brother that. He seems to forget I own a second business and don’t work for him full-time. But something else is going on. He’s been way too on edge lately, even for him.”
“You guys’ll figure it out. If not, just set him straight. I know you can. You’re the only one that guy listens to.”
He nods before getting out and grabbing his stuff from the back.
“Look! It’s my two free laborers for the day!” Granger yells from the doorway of his office.
“I don’t know about free. You exchanged your modeling skills for said labor.” That earns me a grunt in response. He wasn’t exactly thrilled when I told him that a fisherman in his element with tattoos and a beard would bring in the women in droves, flocking to the marina.
He’d said, I’m not going to let you pimp me out for your magazine. I had to get Nora to help me convince him. They’ve been friends since elementary school, and I always thought there was something between them, but I think they truly are more like siblings.
Kane laughs at his brother’s discomfort. But both are showered and in clean flannels that showcase the tattoos. Kane’s got neck tattoos that peek over the collar. You’d never know he’s the computer geek out of the three of us. I fit that bill more than anyone.
A pair of the bright orange bibs come flying at me and I catch them with one hand. “Put those on, pretty boy.” Granger says.
It takes a little over an hour to get ready before we’re out on the water, but it’s the perfect time to get some shots of the guys working the boat.
They deliver seafood to Bob’s Seafood Shack, so everything is fresh from the dock the day he cooks it.
If it isn’t coming from a local fisherman, it’s not on his menu.
Something that sets Bob apart from the other shacks in the area.
Most of them will substitute frozen fish when the season calls for it.
Pulling out my camera, I start snapping photos of them and earn a grunt with a frown from Granger after the first one. “You know women love a grumpy asshole?”
“What the fuck is wrong with you? Why are you insisting on telling me how attractive I am?” Granger grunts.
“Hey, I know my market. And it’s not men. It’s women. And women want an escape with hot men. Promise.”
“Whatever.”
Kane starts pulling traps in so I leave Granger alone… for now.
We have a good time out on the boat and I have plenty of photos for the blog. I even got a great shot of Bob’s coming back into the marina with him standing on the dock waving to us, waiting for his daily catch for the night.
I just need a shower before I get to enjoy it. With a beer.
Bob helps me unload all the boxes of beer from my trunk from Roman. Roman, my brother-in-law, owns Rebels Brewery in Balsam Cliffs. He supplies beer to local restaurants and bars and I got roped into being the free transport for Bob this week.
“He’s got the Valentine’s ones in here for you. He said there was enough to get you through March.”
“Thanks for helping with the transport. It’s nice when we can save some money.” Bob slaps my shoulder.
“Hopefully the blog will help get you all some more business with new tourists.”
“That list got us some, but not enough.” He grabs a box and starts putting them all in the cooler behind the bar.
Bob’s isn’t anything fancy, but it’s a local staple with amazing food. It’s small inside, with most people utilizing his take-out window in the summer and the picnic tables outside.
I slap the bar, not knowing what else to say to him before I wander off to find Granger and Kane at a table with their friend Evander.
“H-h-hi. I just took their orders. What can I get you?” A shy waitress barely whispers over the sound of the music playing.
“Did they order dinner yet or just drinks?”
“Drinks.”
I smile, trying to make her feel more comfortable around me, but I don’t know if it worked, her fidgeting clearly shows that she isn’t comfortable around strangers. “I’ll take one of Rebels’. Surprise me. I love them all.”
She nods and leaves to get our orders.
Joining the guys, I nod to the waitress. “She’s not really in the right profession if she isn’t comfortable around strangers, huh?”
All three men get a sad look on their face. “Bob takes pity on her. She’s a good worker, but shy as hell. She’s had it rough. Worked here since she was fifteen, and Bob views her as the daughter he never had.”
I look over at the two interacting to confirm what Kane is telling me. You can see the fatherly love shining in his eyes as he looks at the waitress, loading her tray with our drinks.
“So, Coop, you gonna bring more people to my town and help these businesses?” Evander asks.
“That’s the hope, man. Hemlock Cove is a hidden gem, you guys just need some help out here.”
“Your lips to God’s ears. I know Nora is struggling at the coffee shop and people come from all over for her, especially on the weekends,” Granger says.
“Cooper is going to end all that. His blog looks amazing, and I should know because I designed it.” Kane laughs.
I laugh too, but the pressure is mounting to make my first article on the blog a hit.
“Can I take your orders?” the waitress asks.
We place our dinner orders and then I get to spend the night hanging out with some friends and enjoying the traveling.
Something I’ve never been able to do.