36. You Haven’t Gone Pro, Have You? #2
I laugh, shaking my brother’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s get you a drink.”
We end up at Fat Fred’s. And so does the rest of Naknek. It’s a celebration for all. There’s a palpable relief that something might be done for our community and our livelihood. I’m not sure everyone believes this is our reality. But at least, for tonight, we do.
“There she is!” Marina exclaims as soon as we walk in. “The woman of the hour!”
Lillian is pulled away from us to the bar, where she is peppered with compliments from Marina and Ian .
. .and Lefty, of all people. He looks like a different man as he talks to Lillian.
I’m sure he’s trying to rub elbows and get her to put in a good word for him for management.
He’d be a terrible manager. A total tyrant.
A problem for another day.
We grab one of the few available high-tops. It’s rare for things to be this busy in Naknek. It’s like the whole town is here.
“How are you liking Naknek, Sarah?” Tuma asks in a sweet, innocent tone.
“Well, it’s not Los Angeles, that’s for sure,” she says. “But I can see what my sister likes about it.” Her eyes stray around the room. “Hot fishermen everywhere.”
Jesse shifts in his seat. Poor guy trying to hold in his jealousy.
We get drinks and let the warmth of intoxication take over. All the weight that’s been on my shoulders is now gone. There’s an unfamiliar straightness to my spine, an alignment I haven’t experienced in a long time. Hell, maybe not ever.
But I have my girl. I have my home. And things feel good. I’m excited for what’s to come next, rather than being scared.
“I bet you twenty bucks,” Sarah says to Jesse.
I recenter myself in the conversation. Sarah’s on her second gin and tonic, probably more g than t, and is leaning closer to Jesse than someone does with their enemy.
“There’s no way you can beat me at darts,” he says. “I play almost every night.”
“So? You haven’t gone pro, have you?” she sasses.
A smile tweaks Jesse’s lips. “Fine. Twenty bucks.”
“You’re on,” Sarah says, jumping down from her stool and heading to the back of the bar where the pool tables and dartboards are.
Tuma and I watch them go.
“He’s down bad,” Tuma says.
“It’s hilarious,” I respond before finishing off my beer. It might do him some good to have a crush.
Tuma checks his watch. “I should head home to the kids.”
“You’re right, you should,” I say with a nod. I would normally give him shit for leaving early. But I get it. Now, I really do.
Tuma gives me a salute, then disappears into the crowd.
I look at my empty glass, tipping it and watching the liquid drip around the glass.
This has been one of the hardest years of my life. Between the terrible fishing season and the way my town turned against me, it would be easy to say one of the worst too. Not to mention things with Dad going sour. But I got Lillian out of it. We rose above together.
I have no regrets.
With perfect timing, Lillian wraps her arms around my neck and presses her cheek to mine. “Having fun all alone here?”
I latch onto her arms. I’m not letting her get away again tonight. “A lot more now that you’re here.”
We kiss softly. I’d like to steal her away and kiss her until our lips are bruised. Don’t rush it. There’s plenty of time.
“Where is everybody?” she asks.
“Tuma went home, and Sarah and Jesse have a bet on who can win at darts,” I say, pointing over to the corner where Sarah is lining up her shot, and Jesse is not so subtly staring at her ass.
“Oh, my god. They’re going to kill each other,” Lillian murmurs.
“We’ll see. I think Jesse might have met his match.” I pat her hand.
Steve Yonnitz interrupts us with a soft wave of his hand. “I just wanted to say congratulations before I head out.”
“Oh, Steve. Thank you. I couldn’t have done any of this without you.” Lillian hugs the older man.
He chuckles. “Ah, it was all you and your work.”
I place my hand on Lillian’s lower back and smile at her fondly.
“I actually wanted to ask if you’d be interested in a lead role at the hatchery as we start putting the team together.”
Lillian’s jaw drops. “Me?”
“Of course. You understand the ecosystem, the town. I think it would be a great bridge as we continue developing the project.”
It’s hard to believe how it’s falling into place.
Lillian leans into me, pressing a hand to my chest. “I think you ought to talk to this guy. He taught me everything I know.”
“Oh, I don’t know about?—”
Steve holds out his hand to me. “I don’t believe we’ve met officially. Lillian’s told me a lot about you. Matt, right?”
We shake hands.
“Matt’s a local fisherman, but he’s also the smartest guy in town. He’d be great on the management team.”
Steve reaches into his pocket and hands me a business card. “Then, we’ll talk, hm? Send me an email at your convenience.”
“Thanks,” I say, my mouth dry, still in shock.
Steve says his goodbyes, leaving Lillian and me alone again.
“I don’t understand,” I say with a frown.
Lillian’s hand caresses my chest tenderly. “What? You don’t think I’d want to try and help provide options?”
“Well, if I take on a management position, that’s probably a year-round thing, right? What happened to half the year in Naknek, and?—”
Lillian cuts me off with a kiss, and I don’t have the strength to draw away. Her mouth is divine.
“I don’t care where we are. I just want to be with you. We’ll figure it out.”
My eyes fall to her lips. “Can I take you home, or is it too early?”
“Why didn’t you ask an hour ago?”
We leave the bar, the hubbub of the celebration, Jesse and Sarah, all of it.
I take her home. To our home. To our bed. And I fall asleep to the whisper of, “I love you,” in my ear.