Chapter 3
3
M aileah’s nerves fluttered as she approached the retro diner her friend owned. Jo was their neighbor across the street, and she told Junie about the house on Sunshine Avenue when it came up for sale. The neon sign that read Cuppa Jo’s flickered against the twilight sky, and live music drifted from the open door.
The diner was full of mostly locals. It was the place to be on a Friday after work. When Maileah stepped inside, Jo looked up from the shake machine, her short dark hair framing a welcoming smile.
“Hi, good to see you. Want a seat at the counter?” Jo gestured toward a row of red vinyl-covered swivel stools.
Maileah was grateful for a familiar face. “Not this time. I’m meeting someone here.” She glanced around, but a couple of men were sitting by themselves. “Do you know if one of those is named Todd?”
“The dark-haired guy in the blue shirt.” Jo’s eyes twinkled. “He asked me to look out for a woman by herself, but I didn’t know he meant you. Blind date?”
“Courtesy of my sister.”
Jo lifted her chin toward a booth. “He seems all right. He’s been here a few times and always tips well. Doesn’t hit on my servers.”
Generous was good, Maileah supposed. She glanced over, catching sight of an attractive man tapping his foot to the music. She still felt like fleeing, but she’d come this far. “Thanks, Jo.”
As she turned, she spotted Sailor at the end of the counter, and they shared a grin. He raised an eyebrow at her, amusement evident in his expression. He started toward her.
Did he know she was meeting Todd?
“I’ll take care of Sailor,” Jo said, glancing at the open portal to the kitchen. “He told me about your earlier date.”
Maileah shook her head. “That wasn’t a date. It was more like an interview.”
Jo swooped toward Sailor with a plate of hot fries from the kitchen. “Here, this is on the house. Why don’t you tell me about that surfing competition coming up. Hawaii, right? I’m so jealous.”
Maileah gave Jo a grateful look as she approached Todd’s booth. She might have to call Sailor for a lifeline in a little while, but for now, she was going in with an open mind.
Sailor’s father was jamming with another musician on one side of the diner. Adrian owned Regal Bikes on Orange Avenue, and her mother and Deb had gone to school with him. His fingers flew over the guitar strings as he rocked an old Bruce Springsteen tune. His gray ponytail swung to the beat.
Anything goes on Crown Island, Maileah thought. She had loved living in Seattle with its atmospheric rainy days, brainy young colleagues, and incredible food. On the other hand, sunny Crown Island had a perpetual holiday vibe going for it. If she could create work for herself, she could stay here.
At this time in her life, she wanted her family close, especially if she started a family. She dreamed of her children playing with Junie’s and having her mother nearby to call on. She’d never told anyone this because they’d all laugh and think she was kidding. She was aware of her reputation among her family and friends. That was another reason she wanted to start over here.
In truth, she’d grown weary of being the life of the party.
As she approached Todd’s table, Maileah’s nerves eased a little. He looked relaxed, as if he was enjoying himself. Maybe this wouldn’t be too bad.
Todd looked up as she neared, a friendly smile spreading across his handsome face. He was attractive in a conventional country club sort of way. Frankly, he was more Junie’s type than hers. Polo shirt, khakis, an extra serving of confidence. He extended his hand. “Maileah? I’m Todd. It’s great to meet you.”
“And you, too,” she managed.
“I hope this isn’t too awkward,” he said, grinning.
“I was thinking the same.” He seemed genuine, so she relaxed a little.
As they sat down, Maileah noticed Sailor watching them from the counter. Her emotional support surfer was on the job. But so was Jo. Her boyfriend, Blue, sat next to Sailor. Blue was on the police force, so Maileah felt doubly safe.
Todd turned his full attention to her. “Junie mentioned you know Crown Island well.”
“Sort of. We visited our grandmother often when we were kids. I’m looking at it with fresh eyes now.”
“I just moved here myself.”
“Did you find a job? Not that it’s any of my business,” she quickly added, aware of how that sounded.
Todd chuckled. “I have an online accounting company. I can run it from anywhere, so I thought this would be a good place to land.”
“That’s interesting,” Maileah said, leaning forward. “I’ve been thinking about that, too.”
As they continued to chat, the music swelled around them.
Adrian launched into a soulful rendition of an old Beatles song. “Yesterday,” he sang, his voice carrying over the buzz of conversation.
Maileah let her guard down, drawn into an easy conversation with Todd. Maybe Junie had been right about this setup.
From behind the counter, Jo watched them with a satisfied smile while Sailor tried his best to look uninterested, failing miserably.
It was all Maileah could do to keep from laughing. Sailor probably thought he would soon have another good story to share. Not tonight, it seemed. She was determined to prove him wrong.
The night was young, the music was good, and Maileah felt a spark of excitement—the good kind—about what might come next.
As Todd spoke about his work in accounting, Maileah studied him. He wasn’t her usual type, but she had to admit he was nice enough.
From the corner of her eye, she caught Sailor watching them again, probably waiting to be summoned if Todd turned out to be a jerk. But she didn’t need rescuing this time.
“So, how did you know about Crown Island?” Maileah asked, redirecting her attention to Todd with a smile she usually reserved for the most fascinating people.
A hint of nostalgia filled his eyes. “I used to come here for spring break in college. My friends and I would crowd into a cheap place and head for the beach. I fell in love with the island then.”
“And now you’re back. That’s quite a change.”
Todd laughed. “I know, right? It’s probably one of the boldest things I’ve ever done. I wanted a change. Needed it, really.”
Maileah grinned with approval, liking Todd more by the minute. “That’s pretty impressive. I like that you took the leap.”
“Well, don’t get too excited,” Todd joked. “It’s probably the only spontaneous thing I’ve done in years. I’m usually very organized and thoughtful.”
They both laughed, and Maileah was glad she’d decided to come. Todd was an engaging, easy conversationalist. She hadn’t felt an immediate spark or intense attraction, but she reminded herself that instant connections hadn’t worked out well for her. Maybe this was what she needed—someone steady, kind, and reliable. And not too bad to look at.
As the evening wound down, Todd offered to drive her home. “Thanks, but I promised to talk to my friend Jo.”
“I understand,” Todd said. “I would have told my sister not to trust me yet. You don’t know me, but I assure you I’m one of the good ones.”
She appreciated his understanding. “I’ll bet you are.”
“I had a great time,” he said, stepping closer. “Maybe we could do this again sometime?”
“I’d like that,” she replied, surprised that she meant it.
He took her hand and squeezed it gently. “I enjoyed meeting you, and I’ll call you. I’m not just saying that.”
After Todd left, Maileah lingered for a moment, taking in the lively atmosphere of Cuppa Jo’s. She felt Sailor’s gaze on her. He swung off the counter stool and sauntered toward her, his shaggy hair flopping over one eye. The two men couldn’t have been farther apart in style.
He stopped at her booth and rocked on his heels, a grin creasing his face. “How did that go?”
With a shrug, she said, “I didn’t have to call you, did I?”
“No, you lasted longer that time. But I was there for you. All you had to do was signal.”
“It went well.” And it had, even if it wasn’t earth-shattering. Maybe this was what growing up felt like—choosing steady over exciting, reliable over risky.
Sailor shifted on his feet. “Are you staying longer?”
She knew what he was getting at. “Sit down. We can listen to your dad. He’s pretty good. ”
“Not bad for an old guy. I’ve been listening to him all my life.”
“You guys seem to have a good relationship.”
“Sure, he’s my best friend. He always has my back.”
Sailor made that sound so natural, but that was hardly the case with her father. “And your mom?”
“Oh, well, you know.”
“No, I don’t.”
“She died when I was little.”
Immediately, Maileah’s heart went out to Sailor. She vaguely remembered her mother or grandmother mentioning that, but she hadn’t been paying much attention. She glanced at his father. “Did your dad ever date again?”
“Some, but it was tough on him. The bike shop took up most of his time. My grandparents helped a lot.”
She had never thought about Sailor having an extended family. “Are they still living?”
“Both sets. My dad’s parents are here, and he looks after them. My mother’s parents travel a lot. They have an RV they park on the mainland, and they take off for months. They like to hike in the mountains for inspiration.”
“Inspiration?” she repeated.
“They’re artists. Used to be photojournalists for National Geographic magazine, mainly covering Central and South America. They were pretty cool when they were younger.” He paused. “Does your date have a name?”
“Todd.”
“And will you see him again?”
“Probably. If he calls.”
Sailor gave her a look she couldn’t make out. “He looks like an accountant. What does he do?”
She smiled. “That.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope.”
Sailor plucked a paper napkin from the holder and began folding it into triangles as he spoke. “Well, if that’s what you want. Sounds dull to me.”
“We can’t all ride the waves.”
“I’m one of the lucky ones, I know.” He lobbed the little triangle football toward her.
She caught it and laughed, and they continued talking.
At a pause in the conversation, Sailor asked, “What are you going to do with your one wild, fabulous life, Maisie?”
“Only Junie does that,” she said.
“Does what?”
“The nickname thing. She calls me Mayday, Maybelle, Maybelline, and a bunch of others.”
“Does that bother you?”
“It did at first. I was born plain old May Raines-Smith. As if I engineer rainfall for the month of May or something.”
“For real, right?” Sailor laughed. “Try being named Sailor. Everyone assumes I sail. I mean, I do, but not like I surf.”
“You can call me Maisie. Or May. I don’t mind.” Sailor acted more like a brother, she figured, so why not?
His father finished his closing set, and the diner grew quiet. Sailor drummed his hands on the table. “Need a lift back to Junie’s?”
“I’ll walk. That’s how I came. See you around.” She slid out of the booth.
As Maileah headed for the door, she wondered if she was finally on the right track or forcing herself into a mold that didn’t quite fit. The balmy, salt-kissed night air greeted her as she stepped outside. She took a deep breath, feeling oddly conflicted.
Todd was pleasant, precisely the kind of man she should be interested in. Junie would be proud of her for a change. Still, she’d only just met him. He could still be a crazed axe murderer playing against type. An odd thought struck her. Wasn’t she doing the same thing?