Chapter Three. The Ocean State
Chapter Three
THE OCEAN STATE
Colonial-style homes dotted the streets in whites, bright blues, and mustard yellows, housing a variety of shops and vacation rentals.
Redbrick buildings were converted into pubs, tourist information centers, and the cutest post office Cam had ever seen.
And nowhere in New England was complete without the distinct Cape Cod–style houses, their high-pitched roofs and cedar shingles the postcard image of summer.
As they drove along Burton Street—the historic district, according to Danny—Cam noted each local business: a candy store, an old-fashioned ice cream parlor, and at least three restaurants advertising the best seafood on this stretch of the Atlantic.
Towering black streetlights lined the pavement, ornately crafted to convince the wandering eye they ran on gas, not electricity.
And through the shops and homes, Cam spotted the rocky overlooks bordering the glittering water, and a massive marina, housing sailboats painted with family names and fishing vessels of various sizes.
Danny’s place was about a six-minute drive from Burton Street.
It bordered one of the rocky overlooks, giving it water views without the beach access so many locals desired.
He parked in one of the spaces in front of a triplex, its age showing on the sun-faded blue clapboards and the chipping white paint along the window frames.
Against the rising sun, his home was paradise.
As soon as Cam stumbled out of the car, functioning on an iced coffee and a thirty-minute nap along the Jersey Turnpike, she inhaled the beach air. Her shoulders relaxed, and if she had any doubts about joining Danny, they disappeared in an instant.
“It’s nothing special,” Danny said, unloading the trunk, “but it’s home. We’re on the third floor.”
Instead of arguing how very special the place was, she explored the front yard. Past a pair of standing birdhouses was a fenced-in vegetable garden, featuring rows of leafy spinach and planter boxes of tomato vines climbing white trellises.
“Mrs. Adler has a green thumb,” he explained. “She’s retired and spends most mornings down here. The tomatoes are her specialty.” He lifted her plastic bins with impressive ease. “Let’s get inside before Reggie rips the place to shreds.”
Cam followed him to the third floor, where she was jumped by golden fur the moment his apartment door opened. A wet snout nuzzled into her midsection, seeking the crumbs from the croissant she’d had during a stop for gas in New York State. She squealed, welcoming the furry attack.
“Reginald!” Danny scolded, tugging him back. “Sorry. He’s excitable.”
Reggie sat in front of her, wagging his tail as he watched her every movement. She scratched his chin, already in love. “Don’t apologize. He’s perfect.”
“That he is. Make yourself comfortable,” he said, grabbing Reggie’s leash. “I’m gonna run him out and grab the rest of your stuff.”
Once the door shut, Cam used the privacy to explore.
The entrance led directly into his kitchen and breakfast nook.
The kitchen was older, framed by an island with bar seating and honey-colored cabinets.
While the speckled granite countertops were sparsely filled, decorated only by a well-loved toaster and coffee maker, the breakfast nook was organized disorder.
A stack of mail and delivery receipts for Beau’s joined a collection of dog supplements on the refinished wood table.
Even though she was delighted by the canine wellness zone, her attention was quickly stolen by the pictures on the fridge.
One photo featured Reggie and Danny with a sign reading JUST ADOPTED.
Another had Danny steadying a very drunk Drew, Morgan and Cory laughing behind them.
Their senior fall, Cam had captured the photo on a walk home from their favorite bar.
But the last picture made her smile the most. It was a shot of her and Danny on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, taken two years ago when he visited her and Morgan. Together, they toured every monument they could pack into the long weekend.
She traced the photo, reliving their excited sprints around the Mall, and Danny’s intense fascination with cherry blossoms.
Eventually, the large bay windows overlooking the water drew her into the living room.
Decorating the space were the badges of bachelorhood: a brown leather sofa, a big TV, and a framed picture of Fenway.
The room was rounded out by an older plaid armchair, cluttered with a bright blue ball and a blanket covered in golden fur.
Reggie’s favorite spot warmed her heart, and in preparation for his return, she grabbed a couple of treats and sat on the sofa.
From the window, she watched the tide come in until Danny returned with her suitcases, Reggie running ahead of him.
Reggie launched himself onto Cam and she laughed, holding him close as she fed him the treats.
“Now he’ll never leave you alone,” Danny said. “He’s food motivated. Our neighbor, Ms. Garber, spoils him whenever I’m gone. So, while we dealt with the idiots on 95 all night, he was dining on boiled chicken, white rice, and carrots grown by Mrs. Adler.”
Cam pressed her cheek into Reggie, grinning. “If he’s left without you, he deserves it.”
With Reggie in her arms, she watched Danny go about his business, fascinated by this version of him.
He put out breakfast for Reggie, tucked their shoes into the hall closet, and moved a stack of mail from the table into a kitchen drawer.
She wasn’t used to seeing him in an adult setting.
Her only experience with his living quarters was his college apartment with the guys.
Now, he was a dog dad, and worried about having mail left out with a guest around.
When he joined her on the sofa, Reggie moved between them. “What do you think?” he asked.
“I like it,” she teased, sprawling across the leather cushions. “Was this your uncle’s place?”
“Beau owned the triplex, but he didn’t live here.
This unit was unoccupied, and when I decided to take over Beau’s, I figured I’d move in.
” He mindlessly petted Reggie, smiling down at the dog.
“Being a landlord really isn’t my thing, but the other units were filled, and I could never ask Ms. Garber or Mr. and Mrs. Adler to leave. ”
“You joked about me living with college kids, and yet you’re basically living with retirees?”
“Well, those retirees bake me cookies, deliver freshly grown vegetables, and fight over who gets to watch my dog. I’ll take it. It’s a nice break from Beau’s. Much quieter.”
“I’m excited to see Beau’s. Where is it?”
“It’s a fifteen-minute walk or a quick drive. We’ll head over later.” After giving Reggie another rubdown, he stood and stretched. “Let me show you around before we both fall asleep here.”
Motivated by the promise of a bed, she followed him down the tiny hallway.
There were four doors, and another beautiful view of sparkling water.
He pointed to each door. “Closet, bathroom, my room, and the den, aka your room.” Once inside, he added, “Drew’s never had any complaints about the bed, so hopefully it’s comfortable for you.
This space is yours for as long as you need it. ”
Cam hugged him. “Thank you,” she mumbled, nestled into his chest. She didn’t think she was short—just a hair below five-six—but the embrace reminded her of his height. Maybe six-two if she had to guess. “I owe you.”
“I’m always here for you, Milly.” Pulling away, he added, “But there is one caveat. Reggie loves sleeping on the sofa in here, so I can’t promise you won’t wake up to him in your bed at some point.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve had a guy in my bed so … no complaints.” When he reddened, she laughed. “You still blush so easily.”
He shook his head, walking backwards through the doorway. “I’m not blushing. I’m tired.”
“If you say so.”
He disappeared for a moment, returning with a stack of sheets and towels. “For you. Now get some sleep. We’ll head to Beau’s later.”
Clutching the fabric to her chest, she thanked him again. As soon as the door shut, she collapsed onto the sofa, too tired to take the bed out. With the aid of a chunky knit blanket, she fell fast asleep.
Around noon, Cam woke up to a FaceTime call from Morgan. Half-asleep, she answered, mentally preparing for a game of twenty questions.
“Cam, finally!” Morgan cried. “Danny texted me frantic yesterday because you wouldn’t pick up your phone, and when he finally responds to me freaking out, he says he’s taking you to Rhode Island. Meanwhile, you haven’t answered any of my texts. What’s going on?”
Cam squinted her eyes as the sun beat into the room. She understood why Reggie was a fan.
“I got fired.”
“What? Fired? Cam—”
“—then I got arrested for disturbing the peace,” she slipped in, “so Danny came to pick me up. He thought staying with him would be good for me and I agreed. We got to Rhode Island this morning.”
“Fired and arrested. Is this the quarter-life crisis we’ve heard so much about?”
“I hope not. I won’t have health insurance after August so now is not the time to need therapy.”
“Cam … are you okay? Danny sounded really worried and I’m worried. What do you mean you were arrested—”
“I’m okay,” she interjected. At least she thought she was. “Can we talk about something else?”
“Cam—”
“Please.”
“Fine. I got a new phone this morning,” Morgan said. “If you remember, last month I started having charging issues, and then yesterday, half the screen stopped working. Which is kinda funny because the exact same thing just happened to Cory.”
The mention of Cory pulled Cam out of her bleary-eyed state. “You … were talking to Cory?”
“Yeah, on Tuesday. I was complaining about my phone issues, and you know Cory. Once anyone brings up planned obsolescence, it’s impossible to shut him up.”