A Chance at Forever
Did you ever think you knew exactly where your life was going? You had everything planned out, every moment accounted for? You knew where you”d be and where you would end up. That was me, until everything changed.
I had just turned eighteen years old and had finished my senior year of high school. I was getting ready to attend Notre Dame University on a soccer scholarship when my whole life changed, and my dreams went down the drain.
My dad died from a heart attack.
My dad raised us after my mom passed away from breast cancer when I was only three. He was all my brother and I had. He made sure we went to school every day, worked hard for what we had, and beat our asses when we needed it. After my mom died, we were a team. We had a system, and it wouldn”t work if a member of the team were missing.
We lived in a small town in Georgia, right beside the ocean. My dad owned a marina where people could rent boats, jet skis, and other water equipment. Inside, we sold bait for fishing and anything else you would ever need on the water. The bar and grill, he added on years later, was just a short jog from the shop.
When my father died, he left the shop to me and the bar and grill to my brother. I traded in Norte Dame for what could be a soccer career to run a damn boat rental and bait shop. I could”ve left anyway. I could have said, sorry, this isn”t my plan, but how do you do that to your family? My older brother, Dane, didn”t deserve that. He had dreams of his own that he gave up. I had to stay and do my part, even if it killed me, and there were some days when I thought it actually might.
It was early summer, the time of year when we got busy. Tourists filled the shop, wanting to rent boats to spend the day on the ocean. Then, after a fun-filled day of swimming and boating, they would head up to the bar to relax with a good meal and a cold beer. Dad had a good idea adding on that bar. It brought in the business and gave me something to eat for lunch.
My brother lived just down the road from the marina and bar. He moved out the second he could. Growing up, he worked for Dad and saved enough money to buy a small place. Over the years, he worked his ass off to fix it up.
I still lived at home, although since Dad had passed, it was mine. I loved it, too. It was a good drive from the shop but worth every minute, especially with as many memories as it held for me. With both parents gone, it was the only connection I had to my childhood.
It was an old farmhouse, but we busted our asses to restore it. Every day after work and every weekend, he would get us up at the ass-crack of dawn to get to work. We worked for years, and it still wasn”t finished. It had a long driveway and was far from town, so it was always quiet. The yard was filled with trees covered in Spanish moss, and a big pond was in the back. It was my escape from work, from the noisy tourists, and from the drama a small town could create.
Every night, after a long day of work, I sat on my back deck, which wrapped around the entirety of the house, just gazing at the dark sky. The only light was the moon and the thousands of stars twinkling over the pond. It was the only place I wanted to be, and I looked forward to it every pathetic day of my life.
Waking up early was something I had always been used to, so it wasn”t a big deal to come into the shop at five A.M. I unlocked the door and punched in the code before patting Doug, the shop”s old guard dog, on the head. He didn”t bother to move off the floor. He also didn’t guard anything. He came to us as a stray, but he became a permanent fixture over the years.
I started a pot of coffee—God knew I needed it to make it through another day of the same shit—and I started up the computer. As soon as the coffee was done brewing, Joey walked in, causing the bell that hung above the door to ring.
”Good morning, honey.” She placed her things behind the counter before moving toward the freshly brewed coffee. Joey had worked at the shop since my mom passed away. She had been with my dad through thick and thin, and I promised her she would always have a job with us as long as she wanted it. She was like another mother to me, since she had practically taken care of me my whole life.
”I swear, you come running every time I start that coffee pot. Can you really smell it from your house?” I couldn”t hold back the grin that teasing her brought on.
She let out a quiet laugh. ”You know how I am with a good cup of coffee, and you make the best.” She brushed a stray gray hair out of her face before savoring a sip.
”I was taught by the best.” I kissed her forehead before passing by her to see if Trent had made it to work yet.
Trent was another employee and a friend for as long as I could remember. He ran the rental office. I thanked God every day that he was there, even if he was late half the time. If it wasn”t for him, I would”ve been the one talking to all the annoying tourists. Trent walked up just as the first set of customers walked down the dock.
”You”re late. Again.” I hung up the hose after gassing up the last boat.
”I know; I”m sorry.” He almost managed to give me an apologetic look, but I knew better. Wait for it.
”I had a late night. I met up with this girl I met yesterday.” There it is.“I took her to the bar, and we got so wasted. Then she took me back to her hotel room.” He winked and nudged me with his elbow. Trent loved the tourists. He had been chased out of more hotel rooms by pissed-off husbands than anyone I knew.
”Seriously? Are you ever going to learn?” I wiped away the sweat beading up on my brow with the back of my hand.
”Doubtful.” He gave me his full smile of sparkling white teeth, obviously not ashamed at all.
I shook my head. ”Just get to work. Our first customers are here.” I waved him off as I gazed out over the ocean. That was the only good thing that sticking around provided. The ocean was a part of me. The smell, the salt in the air that clung to your skin, and the sound of the waves when all else was quiet. It was rooted deep inside of me.
* * *
I spent most of the day in the hot sun repairing a boat when I finally forced myself to take a break and have some lunch. I stopped in the shop to see if Joey wanted anything from the bar when I was stopped dead.
Standing at the counter was a girl most guys could only dream about. She looked like she had just stepped out of a magazine. She had long, dark curls that cascaded down her back. I let my eyes drift over her white summer dress that ended mid-thigh, down her long, tan legs and bare feet.
Once I was finally able to stop drooling, I found my voice. ”Can I help you with anything?” I began walking toward her immediately, like she had some sort of pull over me. With my eyes narrowed on her, I almost tripped over Doug. I quickly stepped over him since the damn dog refused to move.
Her big, green eyes met mine. She was naturally beautiful, without a drop of makeup on her warm skin. My eyes ran over her angel-like face and settled on her plump, pink lips. ”Um, yeah.” I noticed her eyes taking in as much of me as mine were of her. ”We just moved to town, and we”re looking for a place to dock a boat. Can you do that here, or do you know somewhere I can?” Her voice was soft and smooth, like silk.
”I told her we rent boats, not dock them.” Joey leaned over the counter, drawing my attention away from the girl.
I forced my eyes back to the angel that was standing in front of me, like Joey hadn”t said anything at all. ”Yeah, we can dock your boat. What kind of boat do you have?”
She offered me a small smile that caused my heart to beat faster. ”I don”t really know. It”s my dad”s. It”s actually right out there in the parking lot. You could come look?” She pointed toward the door with a hopeful expression on her face.
I nodded, opening the door for her and watching as she stepped out. I was stuck in place as she walked away from me. There was something about that girl that just left me speechless. She was different.
”So we dock boats now?” Joey asked with a hint of amusement in her voice.
”We do now.” I didn”t take my eyes off her as she walked away. After what seemed like hours, my brain suddenly kicked in. Follow her, dumbass.
I stepped out and followed her to a white Chevy pickup truck waiting in the parking lot. A man, whom I assumed was her father, stepped out. He was short and stocky. His dark hair was graying at the root, and I saw the same green eyes staring back at me.
”I”m Brian Madison, Lennox”s father.” He nodded toward her, causing my eyes to follow the motion. I glanced at her and couldn”t help the smile that formed. ”We just moved here, and I was looking for a place to dock my boat.” He motioned over his shoulder with his thumb.
”Nice to meet you, sir. I”m Mason Reynolds, the owner.” I reached out and shook his hand. ”We don”t usually rent our docks, but I have a few spots open. I think we can work something out.” I began checking out a nice houseboat. ”Would you like to come inside to talk price?” My eyes automatically went back to her.
Don”t check out his daughter right in front of him. What the fuck is wrong with you?
”Yeah, that would be great. We”ve been looking for a place all day.”
I led them inside and back to my office. ”Please, have a seat,” I said as I sat behind the desk. ”Let me see what we have available.” I began by pulling up Google. I had to do a quick search on how much to charge him. I really had no idea since I”d never rented out space before. ”How long are you planning on docking your boat?” I asked, still searching. I needed to buy myself some time.
”I don”t know. As long as I have it, I assume,” he answered with a straight face. I could tell by looking at him that he had a poker face on, and I wasn”t ready to haggle with him. Hell, I would have let him dock his boat for free as long as I got to see her again.
Prices for renting out boat docking space varied, but I knew that if I wanted to see his daughter again, I needed to make sure I gave the best offer. Every time I would look up from the computer, my eyes would lock on hers. Her cheeks would turn a soft pink, her big green eyes would dash away, and she’d start twisting the ends of her dark hair nervously.
Is she checking me out?
After finalizing the agreement, I led them both outside, where I asked Brian to back the boat up to launch. I called Trent over to back it off the trailer.
”Did you buy a houseboat?” Trent asked when he was by my side.
”No, I rented out dock space.” I watched as Mr. Madison backed the truck down the ramp.
”We do that now?” Trent asked, a hint of confusion lacing his words.
”Shut up, asshole.” I refused to look at the amused expression I knew was on his face.
I helped guide the trailer down the ramp by waving him on. He stopped just short of the water, and Trent and I went about untying the boat for launch. I walked up to the open driver”s side window and retrieved the keys from Mr. Madison, tossing them to Trent, who jumped into the boat. Then Mr. Madison continued to back into the water until the boat was floating above the trailer it had just been attached to.
Once the boat was in the water and Trent was moving it to the spot I directed, he pulled the truck back into a parking space to clear the ramp.
I led Mr. Madison and Lennox down the dock. ”This is where she will be.” I helped Trent get it in place and properly tied down.
”Well, thank you, Mason. I think she will like it here.” He stepped back to admire his boat, which was finally in the water.
I reached out and shook his hand. ”No problem, Mr. Madison.”
”Call me Brian.” He placed his arm around his amazing daughter. That action only drew my attention back to her.
”It was nice to meet you.” Lennox held out her hand as her pink lips turned into a smile.
”The pleasure was all mine.” I sounded like a fucking idiot, but I reached out and shook her soft hand, noticing the way her touch made my skin burn. Our eyes locked for only a moment before they turned and walked back down the dock.
”If you guys need to grab a drink and some good food, the bar and grill up the way is great,” I shouted as they made their way down the dock.
Mr. Madison glanced over his shoulder, offering a wave.
”Up the way?” Trent mocked as he stepped up to my side. He couldn”t hold back his laughter.
I gave him a slight push. ”Shut the fuck up.”
”So that”s the reason, isn”t it?” He nodded in Lennox”s direction.
”The reason for what?” I couldn”t take my eyes off her as she walked away. I was transfixed by how that white dress blew in the wind, how it moved around her tan thighs that I was already picturing being between.
”The reason we”re now renting out dock space.”
Finally, I managed to tear my eyes away from her. ”Shut up and get back to work.”
I returned to the shop and asked Joey if she wanted lunch from the grill. She wrote down her order and tried slipping me a twenty. I don”t know why she tried because I always slid it right back.
”Seriously?” I raised my eyebrows and gave her a grin.
”At least I try.” She smiled back at me, causing her dull blue-gray eyes to light up.
It took me a matter of seconds to walk up to the grill. I took my usual bar stool and gave Wendy, the bartender, our lunch orders. She handed me a Budweiser while I waited.
”We have to stop meeting like this.”
I turned to my right, where the formally open barstool was no longer empty. ”What do you want, Ashley?” I couldn”t help but roll my eyes, knowing where my day was heading. By most people”s standards, Ashley was a pretty girl, but I knew too much about her. She was a slut who would sleep with anyone who had anything she wanted or needed. She usually stuck with the tourists, knowing she could bleed them dry. Still, she never passed up the opportunity to harass me.
”What I always want: you.” She flipped her long blonde hair out of her overly-done face and stuck out her chest just a bit, hoping I would notice.
I noticed but made damn sure to keep my eyes on the TV. ”You know that”s never going to happen. Why do you even try?” I took a long drink from my beer and kept my eyes on the game.
”A girl”s gotta try. Why won”t you go out with me, Mason?” She took a step closer, so close that her breast was almost pressed against my shoulder.
”I don”t like whores, Ashley.” I couldn”t help the bitter edge I had in my voice.
”Don”t be like that. You know, all I need is you, and all those other guys will disappear.”
”Not going to happen. Go bother someone else. I”m on break.” I know I sounded like an asshole. But that girl never took no for an answer. I bet I could’ve pulled her off someone”s dick, told her I wanted her, and she still would’ve gone for it. She had slept with every single guy in town and half of the married ones. I didn”t need someone like that. I wanted someone I could love—someone who could love me back. Not just meaningless sex. That”s why I never went for the tourists like Trent.
Wendy sat our order down just as I finished my beer. ”Thanks, Wendy.” I slipped her a twenty before grabbing the food. I returned to the shop and handed Joey her order on the way to my office. I sat at my desk and ate lunch before going outside to relieve Trent for his break.
When I walked in, he was sitting behind the desk with his phone in his hands. ”You”re an hour late.”
I shrugged. ”Now you know how it feels.”
* * *
After a full day of work, I almost went to have a few cold ones at the grill but decided against it. I didn”t want to run into Ashley again. I went home to take comfort in my favorite spot on my deck.
Finally, sitting down, I opened a cold beer while gazing at the dark sky filled with hundreds of brightly lit stars that reflected against the pond. The cicadas chirped loudly, instantly helping me to relax.
My thoughts slowly drifted to Lennox. Visions of her long dark hair, amazing green eyes, long tan legs, and her dress that stretched across her full chest kept forming behind my eyes. She had the softest, sweetest voice with full, light-pink lips. I couldn”t help but picture my mouth against hers, noticing when my body came to life with the visual images projected in my head.
I shook off the thoughts immediately, not wanting a problem from my body that I didn”t have a solution for. I decided a cold shower was in order, just in case. I couldn”t wait to see that girl again. All night long, I saw emerald green eyes and dark, flowing curls.
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