Chapter Three #3
“I’m a good guy, Britt. I swear. And I think if you let it, Lobster Cove can heal whatever hurts you have.
Your ex? He was an idiot. And an asshole.
I can’t believe he just up and left you behind, sticking you with that motel bill.
You’re better off without him, and if you give Maine a chance, it’ll sink into your soul and you’ll wonder why it took you so long to get here. ”
“I hope so. Even with all the uncertainty in my life recently, I’ve found I really like it here.
It’s ... serene. Back home, everyone is always on the go.
Pissed off about traffic, ignoring trash they see on the sidewalks as they walk past, not caring about anyone but themselves.
I found myself getting sucked into that same mindset, but when I got here, it seemed to melt away.
“And I know things won’t be perfect here. There’s still crime, still jerks who think it’s okay to throw their trash out the window as they drive down a rural road, still bad people around. But somehow it feels ... muted. If that makes sense.”
“It does,” Chad agreed. “I couldn’t wait to leave. Wanted to see the world, so to speak. And now that I have, Maine, Rockville, and Lobster Cove seem even more perfect.”
“Does your beach have those little pieces of glass that are all smooth and stuff from the water?”
It was an abrupt change of topic, but Chad didn’t mind.
“Sometimes. Since we’re in a protected cove, we don’t get as much sea glass as places like Fortunes Rocks Beach in Biddeford, or Pebble Beach on Monhegan Island.
The waves bring in the glass that’s been tumbled around in the ocean for years, decades even. ”
“It’s weird that something that offends me so much, trash being put in our oceans, can create something so beautiful that people obsessively search for.”
“I hadn’t thought about it like that. But I think I’m still on the side of not littering,” Chad said.
“Me too. But I’m not opposed to cleaning up beaches by picking up those pesky pieces of lovely glass.” She grinned.
Chad wasn’t even freaked out by the way he was already thinking of places he could take Britt to search for some sea glass.
“I could sit here all day,” she said after a moment.
“You say that now, but when the wind picks up and you’re freezing your butt off, you’ll be happy to be inside in front of the fire, snuggled under a blanket.”
“True,” she said with a laugh. Then she sighed. “Chad?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.” The words were soft and almost carried away by the wind.
“You’re welcome. Come on, let’s go see what trouble my mom’s gotten into. She’s probably broken out the whiteboard she used when I was a kid to assign us chores. We hated that damn thing.”
“No, you probably hated doing chores,” Britt countered.
Chad chuckled. “Yeah, you’re right.”
He wanted to take her hand again, but it felt a little awkward now. Then something occurred to him, and he wanted to make sure he cleared up this little detail now . “You don’t work for me,” he blurted as they stood.
“What?”
“I’m not your boss. You don’t answer to me, you don’t have to account for your time or what you’re doing with me or any of my brothers. I just wanted to make sure you knew that.”
She scrunched her forehead. “Um ... then who do I work for?”
Chad shrugged. “I guess my mom. But she’s never going to see herself as your boss either. I’m sure in her eyes, you’re just another member of the family.”
He could see Britt struggling to maintain her composure.
He said softly, “I just wanted to make sure you understood that this isn’t a typical working environment.
But on the other hand, if anyone ever makes you uncomfortable—guests or the others who work at Lobster Cove, my brothers included—you absolutely should not put up with that.
Tell me, or any of my brothers, or even Otis.
We might not have an official HR rep, but no one will tolerate anyone feeling unsafe or uneasy. Okay?”
“Okay. This still doesn’t seem real,” she mused as they continued down the path toward the main house.
“It will when you’re irritated at my mom because she’s forcing more food on you, or when you have to clean one of the cabins after an inconsiderate tourist leaves, or when you’re so tired after a long day that you can’t keep your eyes open.”
“Oh, trust me, that’ll be nothing compared to asshole ex-boyfriends who make you feel like shit for enjoying something as simple as a lobster key chain, or dealing with customers around the holidays in retail.”
Chad smiled. “Welcome to Lobster Cove, Britt. We’re lucky you’re here.”
“I’m the lucky one,” she countered.
Chad had the thought that perhaps he was the lucky one, getting to work with her, see her every day, live with her.
It was that last thought that had him tripping over his feet. Britt grabbed his arm, as if she could keep him from face-planting on the rough trail. Thankfully he got his balance and didn’t take her down with him.
He was thirty-seven years old, and he’d never lived with a woman. His mother didn’t count.
But the thought didn’t make him anxious. Instead, it had anticipation swirling through his blood for some reason. He had a feeling the idea of living with any other woman might already have him regretting his part in encouraging his mom to hire her.
But living with Britt? Getting to know her? He was looking forward to it.