22. Duke
TWENTY-TWO
DUKE
I don’t make it over to the shop by the time they close. After the long day of working with the new hires the company sent over, I hope to top the night off with a sweet treat and another chance to talk to Maggie.
But by the time I close up everything, The Candy Jar is already dark.
I’m not sure whether to be disappointed that we couldn’t continue our hangout from this morning, or even figure out what signals we’re sending each other. I’ve gone from Enemy No. 1 to a whole lot of chemistry between us, but is that just what I’m feeling?
My phone starts buzzing with several texts from a group message with my friends.
Coop: Let’s meet up tonight. At the diner?
King: Let me ask Georgie.
Coop: You’re whipped.
King: I’m definitely okay with that.
Me: I’m game for a meet up.
Beck: I’ll have to pass tonight. I’m on a deadline.
Perry rarely has his phone on him, so I doubt he’ll see the message before we’re done at the diner.
And that’s how I end up at Witty’s as the sun is almost past the horizon.
The first thing I do is look around, hoping to see Maggie in one of the booths. Was it only this morning that I’d been in here with her and her stack of pancakes?
Sadly, no Maggie.
Coop waves me over, looking a lot more excited than I’ve seen him in a while. Probably because when I turn the corner, I see a woman sitting next to him. And they’re awfully close.
“Hey guys,” I say, pulling out a chair from next to the table and taking a seat. “How’s it going?”
Georgie leans over and says, “I was going to ask you the same thing. How are things going with you and Maggie?”
“There’s nothing to tell,” I say, even though my brain is reflecting on our sand adventures this morning. “We’re just partners for the scavenger hunt.”
“I don’t know. The two of you were awfully close during your cookie art.”
I raise an eyebrow. “You were watching?”
“You’re actually doing it?” Coop asks.
“Yeah, it’s been fun,” King says with a small smile directed to Georgie.
“We’ve grown up in Willow Cove. What’s new that we haven’t already explored?” Defiance is written all over Coop’s face, but one look from the woman next to him, and he settles down.
“I’m Duke Jacobson,” I say, holding out my hand.
“I’m Molly. It’s nice to meet you.”
And then it all makes sense. Coop had said something about flying a woman back and forth so she could study the turtles. This must be her. I should’ve known that he’d find someone who wasn’t like any of the other women in our small town. There’s a bit of jealousy running through me that he ended up with a girlfriend before I did. Then again, some good things are worth the wait.
“So, what were your tasks today?” Georgie asks, pressing.
“We had to build a sand castle on the beach,” I say, trying to make things as vague as possible. Maybe I shouldn't have come to hang out with the guys tonight. I’m not really ready for a full-blown question session about a woman who I’m not ready to discuss yet. Not that there’s much to discuss, but progress has been made and I’m really happy about it.
“That was a fun one, right King?” Georgie says, tapping King on the arm lightly.
“Fun is relative with that one. Fun to me is being out on the swells and enjoying the water. Not getting sand everywhere.”
"What other tasks have you had to do?" I ask.
Georgie grins and says, "We had to put together some puzzles at the bookstore and then recreate a photo."
"We did that too," I say. "Which one did you guys do?"
"We did the one where the sailor is home, and he bends the girl over for a kiss. That was a good one,” King says, winking at Georgie.
"I'm sad I missed this," Molly says. "Is it just for people who live here?"
"I think they have two different sections," I say. "I'm just hoping to win this one so I can book myself a vacation this fall."
"With Maggie, right?" Georgie asks with a mischievous smile.
"That’s up in the air. You know how much I've been hoping to travel. I don't want to worry about bringing down the good vibes."
“It is okay to let other people in,” Georgie says.
And I'm about done with this conversation. I feel like I've been getting bombarded on all sides with my love life. I just want to work toward my dream of traveling the world and seeing all that I can see. I wish there was a guarantee that my family would be taken care of.
Sure, I'm not the best son in the fact that I struggled to run the family business, but I don't want anything to happen to my family. They are some of the best people out there. I just wish they'd give me a break and let me come around to dating when I feel ready.
Which I am ready to do, but only with Maggie.
The rest of the dinner passes with everyone talking about what they've been up to and how their businesses are doing. While mine is doing fairly well for a new business, I know there’s still a lot to improve.
The problem is, will this just be another try it and then get sick of it kind of thing? Maybe that's the real reason I'm hesitant to pull someone into my chaotic orbit. I don't have all the answers.
My thoughts drift back to Maggie, thinking about us on the beach today and how strict she is with the rules. Maybe that's my real problem, that I don't like the strict rules.
There was something in her face that showed me how much she enjoyed building the sandcastle. For as much as she claims to not be good at anything artsy, minus our karaoke experience, she has a real style for that kind of stuff. She was able to decorate her cookie and the sand castle in a way that fit her personality completely.
It's almost like she doesn't trust herself or that her abilities aren't as good as she thinks they should be. If I could even have one ounce of the dedication she has to run her business, I think I'd be a lot better off in this life.
Dinner ends and everyone goes their separate ways, King and Georgie heading off to make sure their businesses are locked up and Coop walking Molly back to where she's staying.
Leave it to me to be the one going home by myself.