Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Zane grew reflective as he and Sullivan approached the town limits of Driftwood Bay. His longtime friend had picked him up at the airport in Corpus, and he had pumped Sullivan for information about what was going on in his life.
As he suspected, there was a woman involved.
Piper Roberts. But it seemed more to him than Piper causing this change in Sullivan.
His friend had always been reserved yet confident.
As they had talked, though, he sensed a change in Sullivan.
There was no one other than Sullivan Shepherd that Zane would want by his side at any time, especially during a crisis.
Sullivan was level-headed. Smart off the charts. And his loyalty to Zane ran deep.
Sullivan had told him of the real affection he held for Piper, but he would never ask her to come to New York with him because Piper had performed in musical theater and lived on the road for the last ten years.
She was at a time in her life when she craved stability.
Zane read between the lines and figured that meant not only coming home to live permanently in her small town—but to find a partner to spend her life with.
Obviously, Sullivan didn’t fit that bill because he was based in New York and traveled quite a bit.
Yet he could tell that his friend cared for this woman, and Sullivan had never formed any lasting attachments. Ever. While he was one of New York’s most sought-after bachelors, Sullivan had never opened his heart to any woman.
Until now.
His friend had explained to Zane how he enjoyed working in the Bay these past several months.
That the people were friendly and the pace of life not so hectic.
That the water calmed and inspired him. Even though Sullivan told Zane he was returning to New York soon, Zane had a feeling that a big part of Sullivan would remain behind in the Bay.
With Piper.
The Bay had meant a great deal to Zane himself all his life. Even though his dad had become a billionaire, Alexander Wagner’s roots were embedded in this small Texas coastal town, and he had wanted to instill the values of the Bay within Zane.
Because of that, Zane had come to this small pocket of the world for a month or so every summer while growing up, spending it with his grandparents.
He had worked at the Driftwood Diner, doing everything from bussing tables and mopping floors to being a line cook as he got older.
Though he hadn’t practiced his cooking skills in years, he still believed he could stand before a stove and whip up anything from eggs and pancakes to chicken fried steak and fried okra.
Working at the diner had created a strong work ethic within Zane, and his admiration for his father grew over time.
Dad had been brilliant, winning a scholarship to an Ivy League school, and leaving the Bay for good.
Yet he never left behind his small-town values.
Dad treated everyone from the janitor to his board of trustees with the same polite respect, and he had passed that lesson along to his older son.
It hadn’t been all work during his Texas summer vacations, though.
He and Gramps had gone fishing in the Bay several times a week, while Gran and he loved to walk along the seashore and collect shells, watching the waves go in and out.
They had played board games, and Zane had become a master of strategy during his hours of Risk and Scrabble.
His grandparents might not have had much formal education, but they were both extremely well-read and recommended books to him, which Zane devoured.
Once he finished each one, the three of them had lively discussions about those books over grilled ham and cheese sandwiches and homemade ice cream.
He remembered running in the annual Fourth of July race and playing basketball on public courts with boys in town.
Zane looked back fondly on his visits to the Bay and could understand why it would be hard for Sullivan to return to the busy world of corporate New York, as well as his frequent travels.
They drove into town, and the familiarity caused the back of his eyes to sting with tears.
He had spent many happy times in Driftwood Bay and was glad the people who owned The Island had finally accepted his buyout offer.
Tidewater would be one of Wagner Enterprises premier properties, and it would give him an excuse to come to Texas to see Gran and Gramps more often.
“There’s where I used to buy my comic books,” he told Sullivan. “I was crazy for Iron Man and Batman.” He pointed to another store. “That’s the ice cream parlor where we used to go for a treat. To be honest, I preferred the homemade ice cream Gran churned at home more.”
“Your grandparents are going to be excited to see you,” Sullivan told him. “They talk about you all the time. They’re really proud of you and all your accomplishments.”
“I wish Harris would’ve come with me,” he said wistfully.
“Maybe he wouldn’t be such an asshole if he had spent time in the Bay every summer like I did.
Then again, Natalie spoiled him so much.
Harris would’ve been bored stiff here. Besides, I can’t see him bussing dirty tables or taking customer’s orders. ”
For some reason, Zane had kept to himself the news Harris had given him regarding his upcoming marriage to Amanda. Eventually, he would tell Sullivan. Just not now. He didn’t want anything bad to color their time together in the Bay.
Sullivan pulled into an empty parking place and said, “You’ve got about ninety minutes before I pick you up for the cookout.”
“You sure it’s not an imposition, me tagging along?”
“You know hospitality in the Bay. Besides, I want you to meet some of the friends I’ve made down here.”
Because it was important to Sullivan, it was important to Zane.
“I look forward to meeting everyone, especially Piper.”
Sullivan told him that they would pick up Piper, as well. “That’ll give us a few minutes to go inside the Bay Breeze and let you see the renovations.”
“Later,” Zane said, getting out of the car and claiming his suitcase.
He entered the diner, which would be closing soon, and saw Gran at a table, talking to a pair of customers.
She threw back her head and laughed merrily, and Zane realized how much he had missed hearing that laugh in person.
He also noted that she seemed to have aged since the last time they FaceTimed.
Both his grandparents were eight-five now and weren’t getting any younger, and he promised himself that he would make it a priority to come visit more often.
Gran turned and caught sight of him, shouting, “Zane!”
The few patrons in the diner turned and began smiling at him as she cut between tables to reach him. He met her halfway, wrapping her in his arms, swinging her around, smelling her familiar perfume.
“It’s about time you showed up,” she said. “I’ve made sweet potato pie for you.”
His mouth salivated at her words, and he laughed. “You know the way to my heart is through my stomach. Especially if we’re talking your sweet potato pie.”
“Come have a seat, honey, and I’ll grab you a slice.”
“I want to say hi to Gramps first,” Zane said, going to the kitchen and embracing his grandfather.
He, too, looked a tad bit older and thinner, and Zane wondered if he should talk to them about selling the diner and enjoying life a bit.
Maybe he could talk them into coming to New York for an extended amount of time and really seeing the city.
“It’s good seeing you, Zane,” Gramps said. “Having Sullivan here has been nice, but you being back in the Bay means the world to Nellie and me. I’m about to clean the grill, so go take a seat. I’ll join you in a few minutes.”
He went to his favorite booth, one in the center of the diner along a wall of windows, which looked over the town square. He remembered going to Fourth of July parades and watching fireworks as the high school band played, simple activities which had been something he looked forward to each year.
Gran brought him a huge slice of pie and took a seat opposite him. The last of the diners were leaving, and Gramps went to the door and turned the sign from Open to Closed. He joined them, sliding into the booth next to his wife of sixty-five years, and Zane saw Gramps take her hand.
Would he ever find a woman he loved and admired? One he would want to hold hands with after decades of marriage?
They asked about his recent trip to Singapore, and he caught them up on all he’d been doing. Since they FaceTimed regularly, they knew quite a bit about what his job involved.
“I suppose you’re here now to fine-tune Tidewater and put the staff through its paces.”
“You know I like to test out each new property before they open to the public. I’ll go over to Tidewater the next two days and spend my nights here with you, then I’ll return to Tidewater and try out several levels of rooms. I’d love it if the two of you would close the diner and join me for a few days.
Take advantage of room service and all the amenities the resort has to offer. ”
He doubted they would accept his invitation, but he wanted to extend it, all the same.
“It’s smart of you to try things out and see how guests are treated,” his grandfather observed. “Then again, you and your dad are both smart, successful men.”
He smiled at them. “We have great genes, Gramps. You and Gran challenged me intellectually from the time I was small. Don’t downplay your influence on my upbringing.
I owe a lot to the two of you, including my solid work ethic.
Maybe everyone we hire at Wagner Enterprises should come down and work in the diner for a week to see what real work entails. ”
His grandparents chuckled, and then he asked them about what was happening in town. For the next several minutes, they caught him up on the gossip in the Bay.