Bungalow by the Bay Read online

  The same pretty blonde waitress—Courtney, right?—greeted him.

  “Welcome back.” She flashed him her welcoming smile, the exact same smile she gave to every customer.

  “Thank you.” AJ tried again with his own dazzle-smile. He could swear she almost rolled her eyes.

  “Table outside again?”

  “Yes, please.” He followed her to the table and slid into his seat. “I’ll take a beer again.”

  “Corona, bottle, no glass, right?”

  Impressive. “Yes, that’s right.”

  “I’ll go get it.”

  He watched while she hurried across the distance, pausing for a moment to talk to Tereza, then disappeared behind a door. Tereza shot him a quick look then went back to wait on her customers.

  He glanced around the restaurant. The workers bustled around but took time to chat with customers. A sign of good management. The menu had impressed him, too. From a good selection of fish, to a smattering of sandwiches, to an array of salads. The beer was icy cold, and he’d seen a list of good wines. Both times he’d been here, the place was packed. Maybe they should look into expanding…

  He shook his head. This was not his problem.

  Courtney returned soon with his ice-cold beer. “Do you know what you want?”

  “I’ll have the grouper again. Blackened this time.”

  “Blackened’s my favorite.” She jotted down his order.

  “So, are you from here?” He handed her his menu.

  “No, I just moved here a few months back. I plan on staying, though. I love it here.”

  “Seems like a nice place.” He eyed her and did a quick calculation of his chances. “I don’t suppose you’d like to show me around town? Maybe go out to eat? I’d like to find the local hot spots.”

  She laughed a delightful laugh that brought a spontaneous smile to his lips. “We don’t really have what I’d call hot spots.”

  “Well, how about you just show me around town?”

  She looked at him for a moment then shook her head. “I don’t think so. I’m pretty busy these days.”

  He was losing his touch.

  “But thanks for asking. I’m sure you’ll sort out the town soon enough. It’s not very big.” She turned and walked away.

  He sat and sipped his beer, wondering if his luck had all changed with his last mishap with the law.

  “He asked you out?” Tereza stood pouring tea into an ice-filled glass.

  “Yeah. But I said no, of course.”

  “Why ‘of course’? Are you not allowed to date? Where is the rulebook that says you can’t go out and have a good time?”

  “I don’t have time for that. I have this job and Bobby.”

  “When is the last time you’ve gone on a date?” Tereza’s eyes narrowed.

  “I… I can’t remember. Years ago. Before I had Bobby.”

  “So, you’re just afraid to, huh?”

  “No, it’s not that.” Courtney paused filling a glass with ice. Was it that? Was she just afraid to try to go on a date again? She had to admit her ex, Kurt, had kind of soured her on dating. He’d been a horrible mistake. One she didn’t want to repeat again.

  “Why don’t you go out with him? Have a nice dinner. Just be an adult and enjoy yourself.”

  “I already told him no.” She finished filling up the glass with ice and reached for the pitcher of tea.

  “Go back over and tell him you’ve changed your mind.”

  “I… I couldn’t do that. Besides, look at him. He’s… gorgeous. I’m not sure why he’d want to go out with me.”

  Tereza rolled her eyes. “Maybe because you’re smart, funny, and have you looked in a mirror lately? The blonde hair agrees with you. So does your non-stressed-out look these days. Go back and say yes. A date would do you good.”

  Courtney walked out of the kitchen, delivered the iced tea to one of her tables, and eyed the man sitting by the beach. She didn’t even know his name. She couldn’t go out with someone if she didn’t even know his name.

  He waved to her, and she crossed over to him. “Another beer?”

  “Yes, please. This one went down quickly.”

  She started to walk away to grab his beer but turned back to him. “I didn’t catch your name.”

  “AJ.”

  “Okay, AJ, one beer coming up.” She hurried back to the bar area and got his drink. Tereza walked past her and gave her a go-ahead-and-do-it look. Courtney sighed. Maybe she should go out. He seemed like a nice enough guy, even if he was a bit stuck on himself. She could go out this one time. One tiny step. She could meet him somewhere for dinner. Not even tell him where she lived. Just… a meeting with an acquaintance. That would work.

  With a surge of sudden resolve, she spun around and hurried back to his table. “So, here’s your beer. And would you still like me to show you around town?” Her words came out in a rush.

  He gave her his now-familiar dazzle-the-women smile. “I would.”

  “I’m off tomorrow night. I could meet you at the gazebo at the end of Oak Street. I’ll show you around, and we could grab dinner at The Lucky Duck.”

  “That sounds great.”

  “Six o’clock work?”

  “Works for me.”

  She hurried off before one of the hundreds of reasons why this was a bad idea could win their argument.

  “Mom, have you seen my baseball glove?” Bobby called from his new bedroom. “Pops said he’d work with me some more on my catching.”

  Courtney set down the box of dishes she was unpacking and headed back to his room. “I think we packed up a box of all the sports equipment Eddie has gotten you.” Which was a lot. Eddie was spoiling Bobby with all the things he’d never been able to do or get for his own son.

  She walked over to the corner and shuffled some boxes around. “Here it is.”

  “Thanks, Mom. You’re the best.” Bobby rushed over and started to dig through the box. “You sure it’s okay I go spend the night with Pops and Grams tomorrow night?” He frowned. “I’m kinda worried about leaving you home here by yourself.”

  She ruffled his curls. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Besides, you’ll have fun with Tally and Eddie. A special night with them.”

  “And Pops says he’ll teach me to throw the baseball better because right now I’m the worst ever.”

  “All it takes is some practice.”

  Bobby’s scowl clearly said he didn’t believe her. “I’m gonna need me a lot of practice.”

  “Well, I’m sure Eddie will work with you, but right now, you need to go get ready for bed.”

  Bobby looked around his bedroom. “You think we can find my jammies in this mess?”

  “I’ll find your jammies. You go brush your teeth.”

  She opened a few more boxes until she found his pajamas. How had they acquired all this stuff? All their belongings in the world used to fit in the trunk of her car.

  Well, most of it was because Tally and Eddie spoiled them with gifts. She needed to talk to her grandmother and have her cut back on the gift giving, but Tally seemed to get so much pleasure from giving them things. Courtney wasn’t used to being given anything, and sometimes it was a bit overwhelming.

  “Find them?”

  “Yes, here you go.” She held out the pajamas and went over to clear off his bed.

  He pulled on the pajamas and climbed into bed. “I liked Happy House.”

  “I did, too.”

  “But Grams and Pops thought we should move, huh?”

  “Well, it was really a storage building, even if it did have that room in the front for us.”

  “But I liked it.” He let out a sigh too large and too long for such a young boy.

  “But Stevie lives here. That will be nice, won’t it? To have a friend here?”

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  She didn’t want to explain to a six-year-old boy that maybe Tally and Eddie needed a little space. They weren’t used to the constant whirlwind of
motion that surrounded Bobby.

  “Well, you get to spend the night with them tomorrow.”

  “It’s gonna be fun. Grams said I could make a fort out on her deck.”

  She smiled. She was sure Bobby would keep Tally and Eddie hopping until the moment he dropped off to sleep tomorrow night. “Okay. You’ll have lots to do. But right now, it’s sleep time.” She reached over to turn out the light beside his bed.

  “Momma?”

  “Yes?”

  “Can I have the light on tonight? I’m not a baby or anything, but… you know, in case I get up in the middle of the night. I don’t want to trip on the boxes or something.”

  “That’s probably a good idea.” She switched the light back on. “Good night.” She slowly walked out of his room and glanced back at him. He was already curled up with his eyes closed. He played hard, but when it was time for bed, he dropped like a stone.

  She headed back to the kitchen, determined to finish unpacking it—mostly with kitchen supplies and dishes Tally had given her. Tally had insisted that she had way more than she needed.

  She unwrapped the pretty white dishes with blue trim. The nicest dishes she’d ever owned. She clutched the watch hanging around her neck. “Thanks for looking out for us, Mom.” She whispered the words into the air in the silent apartment.

  Tally rinsed the last of the dinner dishes and put them in the dishwasher. She’d taken off early from Magic Cafe, and she and Eddie had eaten a quiet dinner at home.

  Eddie walked into the kitchen. “One more.” He handed her a plate.

  She slipped it into the dishwasher and wiped her hands on the dish towel. He stood behind her, slipped his arms around her waist, and pressed a kiss to the side of her forehead.

  “What’s that for?”

  “I’m just content.”

  “Ah, food will do that to a man.”

  “It has nothing to do with the dinner, though it was delicious.” He turned her around and ran his finger along her cheek with the gentlest of touches.

  Warmth spread through her. And pure, simple joy. She’d loved this man for so long, and it sometimes seemed like a fantasy that they’d found each other again. She reached up and touched his face covered with a day’s worth of whiskers. “Let’s go sit out on the deck. It’s a beautiful night out.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Eddie grabbed an open bottle of wine and two glasses, and they went out to the deck. He poured their wine, and they sat in silence for a while, just enjoying the evening.

  “What are you thinking about?” Eddie’s low voice broke the silence.

  “I’m thinking I wish we’d been able to get Courtney and Bobby to move in here with us. There’s enough room. It would have made everything perfect.”

  “It’s pretty perfect already.” He smiled at her. “But I think she just wanted to be on her own. She’s an independent one, our granddaughter.”

  “But I would love having them here.”

  “I would, too. But we have to respect her decision. You’ll still see her every day at Magic Cafe.”

  “I know, but that’s not the same.”

  “Well, Bobby is coming to spend the night tomorrow.”

  “And I’m looking forward to it. I can’t believe how much my life has changed in the last few months.” Tally’s heart swelled with happiness and a contentment she hadn’t felt in many, many years.

  “And my life, too. I wouldn’t change a thing. Our life is perfect now.” Eddie leaned over and kissed her again.

  The silvery moonlight spilled down around them, convincing her she was the luckiest woman in the world.

  Chapter 3

  With Bobby spending the night with Tally and Eddie, the new apartment seemed unusually quiet. For some reason, Courtney hadn’t told Tally she was going out on a date. Maybe because she was so self-conscious about it, maybe because she was afraid she’d made a mistake.

  She stood and stared in her closet, wondering what she had to wear. Her clothes were limited. When she and Bobby had run away to hide from Kurt, they hadn’t been able to take much. She didn’t really need much, just clothes for work and some casual attire. She didn’t think she had anything that counted as a dating outfit.

  Courtney dug through a box of clothes she hadn’t unpacked yet and found a simple flowing navy skirt. She dumped the contents of another box and found a white blouse. No, that would look like she was wearing a uniform. She sighed in frustration.

  She wandered back over to the closet with its sparse contents, unsure what to do. She should just cancel. She could picture the conversation. “Hi, I’m canceling because I have nothing to wear.” Not that she had his phone number to call and cancel.

  Not that she even knew his last name.

  What was she doing? She was a mother. She had responsibilities. She shouldn’t be going out with a stranger.

  Maybe she could just stand him up…

  Courtney sighed again. No, she couldn’t do that. Searching through the closet, she found a simple blouse with a tropical print. That would have to do. Not an outfit that would ever hit a trendy fashion magazine, but it was all she could come up with.

  She dressed quickly then attempted to do something with her hair. She was letting it grow out again and return to its natural blonde color, after having cut it short and dyed it a mousy brown when she’d been hiding from Kurt. That was all past now, and she wanted her long blonde hair back. Right now, her hair was at that terrible in-between stage and impossible to do much with.

  She looked in the mirror and fluffed her hair about in what she hoped looked like a deliberate, carefree style. She looked again. It just looked messy. With one last aggravated glare, she flipped off the light and left the mocking image in the mirror where it belonged.

  AJ waiting patiently at the gazebo. He’d gotten there early. Any excuse to leave his grandmother’s rental. Not that she’d brought up his behavior again nor his ongoing feud with his father. Could he call it a feud? Maybe it actually should be classified as a war. His father had made it very clear when he fired AJ that he was gravely disappointed in him.

  But what else was new?

  “Hi.”

  He’d been so lost in his thoughts, he hadn’t even seen Courtney come up the sidewalk to the gazebo. “Hey.”

  “I thought we might walk along the boardwalk on the bayside? There’s the pier down just a bit of a ways. Then we’ll go down Oak Street, and I’ll show you what’s there. Then we’ll pop into The Lucky Duck for dinner.”

  “Great.” He looked at her appreciatively. She had on a longish skirt that danced in the breeze, and the wind tossed her blonde hair around her face like some model with a fan turned on during a photoshoot. She wore minimal makeup on her tanned face. She looked healthy and wholesome and not anything like the women he usually dated. Yet, she intrigued him.

  He followed her to the boardwalk, and they headed down toward the pier. “So, what brought you to come and live on Belle Island?”

  “Uh…” A frown crossed her face, and she shrugged her delicate shoulders. “Chance, I guess you’d call it.”

  “As good a reason as any other.”

  They walked along the boardwalk, and she chatted to him about the birds on the shore and a large boat out on the bay owned by some regular to the town.

  “We also have a legend about Lighthouse Point over on the gulf side of the island.”

  “What’s that?” He enjoyed listening to her talk about the town. It was easy to tell she loved it here.

  “According to the legend, a person can go out to the point, make a wish, and throw a shell in the ocean. Then the wish will come true.”

  “So, do you believe in the legend?” They stopped at the end of the pier, watching a few men as they fished in the bay.

  “I do. I’ve seen people’s wishes come true.”

  He didn’t think he believed in any folklore like that, but he’d let her live in her fantasy world. “So, is the legend the reason for magic in Magic Cafe a
nd luck in The Lucky Duck?”

  She leaned closer and spoke in a soft conspiratorial tone. “And so much more. A Wish and a Player is a sports bar here in town. There’s Good Luck Mart and the Wishing Shop which is a souvenir store.”

  “The town people sure like to run with the theme, don’t they?”

  “They do, but I think it’s kind of… quaint.” She pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. “I adore everything about this town. I’m lucky to have found it.”

  “There’s that luck thing again.” He grinned at her. He seemed to be unable to stop grinning this evening.

  Her face broke into a delighted smile, not the courteous one she gave to all her customers. “Don’t knock it. You should make your own wish out at Lighthouse Point.”

  He doubted that would ever happen. Not in a million years.

  Courtney hated to admit that maybe Tereza had been right. She was having a good time with this AJ no-last-name fella.

  She really should ask him his full name at some point…

  But she was enjoying their easy banter and the freedom from responsibilities, if only for one short night. It was easy to walk and talk about the town. He was easy to talk to and seemed genuinely interested in the tidbits she told him. They headed into The Lucky Duck after their stroll along Oak Street.

  She hadn’t been to The Lucky Duck. It’s not like she had much downtime to go out to eat. But Tally had introduced her to the owner, Will, when he’d come to Magic Cafe. Will stood behind the bar, chatting with a customer. He waved when they walked in. “Take a seat anywhere.”

  They took a table toward the back of the tavern. Will came over with menus and a welcoming smile. “Courtney, right? Tally’s granddaughter?”

  “That’s right.”