Chapter 6
SIX
The sound of music and happy chatter washes over me as I step into the pub, and Liam follows close behind me. The familiar warmth of this place immediately puts me at ease, as it always does, and I smile and nod at everyone who greets me as I step further into the pub to an empty table.
“Here ok?” I ask Liam, stopping and pulling out a chair.
He nods, pulling one out as well. “Yeah.”
We take our seats and Liam’s eyes dart around the room, taking in the bustling space. The table next to us laughs loudly and my friends, Caleb and Emily, get set up to play.Liam shifts in his seat, looking a bit uncomfortable.
Just as I’m about to ask him if he’s alright, Allison appears at our table, dropping two coasters down with a bright smile.
“Hey, Theo. What can I get you guys?”
I look up at her, returning her smile. “Hey. I’ll take a Storm Surge.”
She chuckles with a slight shake of her head at my predictability. But I know what I like, and I’ll continue to get my favourite pale ale from the local brewery every time I’m here. “Should have known.” She turns to Liam. “And you?”
He glances towards the bar and gives a slight shrug. “Same.”
“Coming right up,” she says cheerfully, then takes off behind the bar.
I bring my attention back to Liam, but some of his discomfort seems to dissipate as his eyes wander over the old photos, paddles, signs, ropes, and maps covering every inch of the wood walls and ceiling.
“This is a cool place,” he says.
I chuckle, leaning back in my chair. “Yeah. The owners of this place are collectors. Most of this stuff they got from local fishermen over the years.” I point to a buoy hanging from the ceiling near the bar. “That’s my most recent contribution, when they cornered me at the marina because the pub was apparently lacking a ‘MacKinnon touch’.”
Liam turns to look at the buoy and smiles with a soft laugh. And I try to ignore the flip in my stomach at the sight and sound.
“Hey, bud.” A hand lands on my shoulder, and I look up to see one of my crew members, Mitch.
“Hey,” I say, nodding a greeting to his wife, as she takes her seat across the pub and waves to me. “Didn’t think you’d make it out tonight.”
“Dropped the kids off with my mom, so we’re getting a couple free hours,” he says, then his eyes slide to Liam. He reaches across the table, extending his hand to him. “Hey, I’m Mitch. I work with this asshole.”
Liam huffs out a laugh and shakes his hand. “Liam.”
I shake my head and roll my eyes at Mitch. “Liam is staying in town for a bit, at my house. He just got in yesterday.”
“Oh, nice.” Mitch smiles between me and Liam. “How do you guys know each other?”
Liam looks at me, the unease flickering back into his eyes.
I shrug a shoulder. “We just met yesterday.”
Mitch’s brows lift slightly as he glances between us again. Then he smiles widely, tossing his hands in the air. “Hey, always happy to welcome a new friend! Hope you enjoy your stay here.” He quickly glances over his shoulder as Allison starts talking to his wife. “But I gotta go before she orders me a sugar-free vodka soda or some shit. Nice meeting you, Liam.”
“See ya,” I chuckle as he hurries over to his table and grabs Allison before she can go fill their order.
“He’s nice,” Liam says, watching him as he mindlessly rolls the coaster on the table.
I nod. “Yeah, he’s been on my crew for years now.”
Liam’s eyes snap to me, and some questions seem to swirl within them. And surprisingly, I want him to ask them.
But if he was going to, he doesn’t get the chance.
“Here you go.” Allison plops our drinks down in front of us, her usual smile in place.
“Thanks, Allie,” I say.
“Of course. Anything else?” she asks, looking between us.
Liam shakes his head, and I do the same, looking up at her. “No, we’re all good. Thanks.”
“Sounds good. Let me know if you need anything.” She squeezes my shoulder as she leaves, greeting some people as they enter the pub.
We each take a drink of our beer in awkward silence, the sounds of everyone laughing and talking around us seeming to get even louder. But even though it’s a bit awkward… it's not uncomfortable.
Caleb and Emily settle onto their stools in front of the mics, and the pub fills with excited whoops and cheers from the surrounding tables. I turn to Liam and lean in a bit closer to him, gesturing to them with a tilt of my head.
“Caleb and Emily play here often. They live in Mahone Bay, but Caleb grew up here.”
Liam nods, shifting his gaze to them as they laugh and chat with some people at a table close to them. “Seems like a pretty tight crew here.”
I huff out a laugh. “Tight is an understatement.”
“Hello, hello.” Caleb says into the mic. “Happy to be back here in The Thistle, with a view of all your ugly mugs.”
A ripple of laughter and taunts flows through the crowd, and Emily chuckles with a shake of her head, leaning in to speak in her mic. “He’s just jealous he can’t be as beautiful as all of you.”
I smile as I watch them introduce themselves and begin their set. If soulmates exist, they’re definitely it. The love they have is evident in every glance and note they play together, and I knew from the day they met that they were meant to be. But as happy as I am for them, a quiet sadness settles inside me. Because I know I’ll probably never have that.
Caleb and I were best friends growing up, along with a few others who have moved further away. And while we’re all still close, I’m the only one still here in Torrin Cove, doing the same thing day in and day out, while they start a whole new life. And whenever I see them, happy and living life just how they want it, I feel like I’m missing out on something… or maybe everything.
My eyes slide to Liam as he watches them play, Emily’s fast fiddling getting everyone stomping their feet and yelling out their praise. And I smile as I see Liam softly tapping his fingers on the table to the beat. The tension that’s been present in him since we arrived appears to be melting away as he relaxes into his seat and contentedly listens to the music.
And once again, I start to wonder what his story is…
But I’m pulled from my thoughts as the pub door opens and my sister enters with her friend, Marie. They take a seat at the bar and she glances around, her eyes landing on me. She immediately looks at Liam, then back to me and points at him, mouthing, “Who’s that?”
And she just continues to expectantly stare at me, like we’re going to have this conversation across a noisy, crowded pub.
I roll my eyes and shake my head at her, then lean in to Liam so he can hear me. “I’ll be right back.”
He just nods, bringing his attention back to Caleb and Emily as they rip into a fast reel.
I grab my beer and head to the bar, where Heather is still watching me.
“Who’s that?” she asks, before I even reach her.
“Hi, Heather. Nice to see you out tonight.”
She flashes me a forced smile. “Hi, Teddy.” Then she gestures to Liam. “Who’s that?”
“Liam,” I say, leaning against the bar next to her. “He lives with me.”
She cocks an eyebrow. “That’s it? Just Liam who lives with you?”
I sigh, knowing how weird this all sounds. Because it kind of is. “Yeah. He came into the store yesterday and was looking for a place to live. I offered a room in my house since I have the space, and I’m never there anyway.”
Her eyes widen and she smacks my chest with her hand. “Theo! You don’t even know him!?”
I rub my chest and shoot her a look. “No.”
Heather rubs her forehead, like this is a huge bother to her. “My god. Ok, well…” she glances over at him again. “Bring him to Sunday dinner at Mom’s then.”
I draw my brows together as I eye her. “Why?”
“Do you have some screws loose or something?” She sighs. “So we can meet him. If someone is going to be living with you, we should know who he is.”
I don’t know what to say to that, because I don’t even know who he is. All I know is that he’s from Cape Breton and he’s a welder going to work on a rig offshore.
So I change the subject.
“How did you manage to get a night off, anyway?” I ask, knowing this will get her riled up.
“Because I fucking deserve it,” she says, not missing a beat. “Chris got home this morning after three days away for work, relaxing in hotels in the evenings, so it’s my turn.”
Allison appears on the other side of the bar. “Hey, Heather. What can I get you?”
“Shot of tequila and whatever IPA you have on tap,” she says, and I give her an assessing look. She rolls her eyes at me. “Stop it. It’s been a week.”
“And you guys want a couple more?” Allison asks me.
I glance over at Liam to see his beer almost empty, like mine, then nod to her. “Please.”
She heads down the bar to grab our drinks, and Heather watches her for a moment before turning back to me.“When are you guys going to give it another go? I liked you two together.”
I shake my head, draining the last of my beer. “We’re better off as friends. We both agreed.”
She shrugs one shoulder. “Alright. But it’s been over a year. I think it’s time to get back out there.”
“With all the free time I have?” I ask.
Heather tilts her head and gives me a knowing look. “You do that to yourself, and you know it.”
“Whatever,” I mumble, as Allison slides our drinks across the bar. “Thanks,” I say to her as I pick up mine and Liam’s beer and turn away from Heather. “Don’t get too drunk.”
She chuckles. “No promises.”
I head back to the table and place a beer in front of Liam. He looks up, surprised, as if he’d been lost in thought. Then he smiles softly. “Thanks.”
“Sorry about that,” I say as I take my seat. “I was just talking to my sister.”
Liam glances at the bar, and Heather waves at him with a smile. He huffs out a light laugh and holds up his hand in a wave back to her.
“Careful,” I say, taking a drink of my beer. “Give her an inch, she’ll take a mile.”
He flashes a genuine smile, and his eyes light up in a way I haven’t seen yet. I find myself wishing he would show that smile more often, even though I’ve only known him for two days. And I also can’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction knowing I caused that smile.
What the fuck is wrong with me.
I take a deep breath in and turn back to Caleb and Emily as they finish their set and announce they’re taking a break.
And Caleb heads right for our table with a huge smile.
“How’s it going?” he asks as he takes a seat with his beer.
“Pretty good,” I say. “You guys sound great.”
“It’s all her,” Caleb says, then he smiles at Liam. “Hey, I’m Caleb.”
“Liam,” he says, shifting in his seat. And I’m starting to see he’s not exactly a fan of attention.
“Liam is going to be living here when he’s not working away,” I say, attempting to make him feel a bit better by explaining this situation for him.
Caleb’s expression morphs into one of intrigue, and he turns back to Liam. “Rotation? Offshore?”
Liam perks up a bit. “Yeah.”
“Sick,” Caleb smiles. “I know a few people who do that. What do you do out there?”
“I’m a welder,” Liam says, leaning forward a bit. “Just starting offshore after working in Alberta.”
Caleb lets out a low whistle. “Shit. That’s fucking intense, man. Underwater welding and hanging from ropes over the raging sea… damn.”
Liam smirks, and I swear I see a sparkle in his eye. “Should be an adventure.”
“I could never.” Caleb leans back in his chair and looks between me and Liam. “You guys got balls. I can just manage to get in a boat to casually fish close to shore, and you two just head out there to battle the sea. You’re both insane.”
I laugh. “Battle the sea?”
He shrugs. “Basically.”
Liam laughs as well, and I can’t help but sneak another look at him, my eyes immediately falling to his smile.
“I gotta make my rounds though, before I head back up there,” Caleb says as he pushes his chair back and stands up. “I’ll catch up with you again soon.”
“Talk soon.” I bump the fist he holds out for me, and he gives Liam a wave as he heads off.
And as I turn to Liam, a sense of disappointment settles as I see him looking relaxed and comfortable.
“Sorry to be lame,” I say with a wince. “But I have to cut this night short. Four AM comes early.”
He shakes his head. “No problem. I’m ready to go.”
“You can stay,” I say. “You know your way back?”
Liam shakes his head again. “It’s fine, I’d rather go back now.”
“Ok.” I nod and finish off the last of my beer, turning around to wave at Allison for the bill.
When she brings it over, I grab it before Liam can and give him a look. “You took out my wall. Don’t even try.”
He huffs out an amused breath of laughter, but looks uneasy as he watches me pull my wallet out. “I don’t mind?—”
“It’s best not to argue with him,” Allison says with a smirk. “He usually gets his way.”
I shake my head with a chuckle as I tap my card to the machine. “Not quite how I remember it.”
She laughs as she takes the machine back. “See ya later, guys.”
We stand to leave, and I wave to Heather as we head towards the door.
“Sunday dinner!” she yells, and points between me and Liam.
I roll my eyes and push the door open, heading outside into the cool darkness.
Liam doesn’t say anything about Heather’s comment as he falls into step beside me, and we walk in silence along the road towards my house. It’s not too long of a walk, and the sound of the ocean gently lapping against the shore creates a peaceful backdrop. The muffled sounds of music from the pub fades away behind us as we continue down the dark road, and I release a breath. I know I should just get this over with, since there’s no getting out of it.
“So…” I say slowly. “We do Sunday dinner at my mom’s every week.”
Liam nods. “Nice.”
“Yeah.” I hesitate. “And… you’re invited this weekend.”
He turns his head to look at me, and even in the dark I can see the question in his eyes.
“And it’s actually not even an invitation, it’s more of a… demand.” I wince as I look away from him. “Because I’m willing to bet my sister has already told my mom you’re living with me. So, there will be a phone call in the morning asking if you have allergies and preferences.” I run a hand through my hair. “But I get it if you don’t want to, and I can get them to back off.”
Liam is silent for a moment as we continue walking, and worry burrows in the pit of my stomach. I just know he is wondering what the fuck he got himself into by coming here. So far he’s been set up to live in a construction zone, set to work on said construction zone, just met people who asked him more about himself than I have in the two days I’ve known him, and now he’s being forced into a family dinner with people he’s never met. And I know I’m not the most welcoming person. This definitely isn’t what he signed up for, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he just up and leaves in the morning.
But he lets out a light chuckle.“Ok,” he says softly. “I get it. They want to know who this random person is living with you. Works for me.”
I turn to look at him, taking in his dark hair blowing in the breeze, and the moonlight highlighting his gentle smile.
And the worry is replaced with something I haven’t felt in a long time.
Excitement.
Because I haven’t scared him off just yet.