Something About You

by Jerry Cole

  Sval came into the control room. “You should come out there with me, appreciate the sights.”

  “I would hate to leave Derek alone,” Grant pointed out.

  “Don’t worry about me,” Derek said, waving a hand. “Sval and I take turns with the boat. I’ll get my time later in the day.”

  Grant acquiesced and left the control room, walking steadily along the deck to where a couple of seats were positioned against the sides of the boat. Sval was working on the deck, and though Grant had been on boats before, he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was being done. Instead, he decided to enjoy the trip. The bay itself was even more beautiful out on the water. There was enough wind that the water rippled around the boat, some of it churned up by the boat itself. Wildlife littered the banks and surface of the water, mostly birds, though Grant was sure he caught sight of a dolphin at one point.

  “Not usually so close,” Sval said. “Though it is not unheard of.”

  Grant leaned against the side of the boat, enjoying the wind whipping through his hair, and the smell of saltwater and brine washing over him. “Does this ever get old?”

  “Not in my opinion.” Sval had finally taken a seat opposite him, leaning back against the side of the boat. “I come out in the boat often with Derek and I do not think either of us has stopped appreciating it. Perhaps that is why we are so comfortable here.”

  It would make sense; if you didn’t love the water, being out on it, or anything about it, Grant couldn’t imagine you would want to stay in a place indefinitely. Thankfully, he was very much in love with the sights, smells and sounds of the water, the bay, and with any luck would continue to be so.

  “What brought you to Maine?”

  “I don’t know,” Grant said honestly, picking at a loose thread on his pants. “It was – I didn’t want to go home to Canada, and I saw a picture of this bay, actually, online and knew it would be a great place to come, even if I went home after a couple of days.”

  Sval’s smile was understanding. “You’re still here.”

  “I am,” Grant agreed. He turned to look out at the banks of the bay, trees, bushes, reeds, and everything between. “I’m sure if things get any worse here, that it won’t be too difficult to leave.”

  Sval didn’t look surprised by the response. Grant wondered if he had ever felt the same. “And if things get better for you?”

  “Then I’ll stay,” Grant said decisively. “For as long as I can stand to.”

  It wasn’t a certainty, but nothing could be truly certain.

  “Then that is all you can do,” Sval said. He stretched out his legs, turning his head to the side so that he could look out over the water.

  They sat in silence for a long time. Grant had his phone tucked securely in his jacket pocket, safe from getting wet, so it was difficult to know how long it took them to get to their first drop off. As they rounded part of the bay, Grant could see a small jetty poking out of the undergrowth. He frowned, wondering if anybody actually lived there, but it wasn’t until they were fully facing the jetty that he could see what was going on. The other side was immaculately kept, the lawn was obviously mowed, and bushes and flowers cut back. It was a beautiful yard attached to an even more beautiful house.

  “Clever,” he muttered.

  “I thought the same thing,” Sval said, amused. “It is how I would wish to hide myself if I knew this particular area was heavily traveled.”

  Derek was guiding the boat toward the jetty. Sval gestured for Grant to follow and he did, down to the stores. There was another manifest down below, which Sval gave a once over before pointing out one of the boxes.

  Grant shifted it into his arms, careful to lift it properly, and carried it up the stairs. Derek kept the movement smooth, so he didn’t stumble once, and as he shoved the box onto the deck and came up after it, they were alongside the jetty. Sval moved past him to grab the bow rope. He jumped out onto the wooden platform while Grant once again lifted the box into his arms. He navigated the edge of the boat with ease, moving up behind Sval.

  “Just take it to the door. She’s usually watching for when we arrive.”

  Grant nodded, a little nervous about not being who the woman was expecting, but he made his way up the well-kept path. The yard was as beautiful up close as it had been from a distance. Though their apartment hadn’t had a garden back in Chicago, he had managed to get some plants into it anyway, though Matt and Seb had always been adamant that Grant take care of them himself. As he approached the door of the house, it opened to the face of an elderly, weathered face.

  “Hello, young man,” she said, an accent that sounded a little like Natasha. It must have been a Maine accent, he supposed, as Natasha was the only local he had spoken to more than once. “Are you working with Mr. Odinson now?”

  “Just for the day,” Grant said. “Where would you like me to put this?”

  “Oh, in the kitchen, dear, thank you.”

  Grant followed her into the kitchen and slid it onto the table. “Would you like me to take stuff out or—?”

  The woman’s smile widened, and she rested a hand on Grant’s arm. “What a wonderful offer. No thank you, I am happy to do that if you could open the box for me?”

  “Of course,” Grant said. The box was taped basically, so Grant found it easy to tug it off. “There you go. I hope you have a nice day.”

  “What a wonderful young man,” the woman said, as she took him back to the door. “Thank you very much.”

  “It was no problem,” Grant said, giving her a bow the same way he had Morgan. It was a chance, some people didn’t appreciate that the same way, but this woman seemed to. She laughed gently and waved him off. “I hope I see you next time.”

  “As do I,” she said.

  Sval was waiting, grinning as Grant approached. “She is not often so pleased. What did you do?”

  “I was myself,” Grant said, surprised. She seemed all right to him. “What’s she normally like?”

  “She is not often satisfied that Derek does not take her the boxes,” Sval said with a laugh. “I am obviously not the kind of man she appreciates.”

  Grant laughed as he climbed into the boat. Part of him wanted to jump, but he was wary of slipping, especially with the water from the rope. Sval climbed in after him, coiling the rope and yelling for Derek that they were on board.

  “When is it your turn to take over?” Grant asked as he sat back down on the bench.

  “Usually after the third or fourth delivery,” Sval said. He settled opposite once again. “Not everyone on the route is friendly.”

  That wasn’t a surprise. “I used to work in retail back in Chicago. People are varied and I’ve dealt with my fair share of irritating and rude ones.”

  Sval winced. “Our customers can be rude or just busy, but I do not think any of them mean it badly.”

  “Nobody ever does,” Grant said. “Sometimes I think they’re just having a bad day. As long as I’m making them feel good for the five minutes that I’m in their life, then I hope I’ve done a good job.”

  “An admirable attitude,” Sval said, impressed. “If I could be that way, I am sure Derek would always want me delivering the packages.”

  Grant laughed, a little embarrassed, but mostly unsure how to take the compliment. It was just the way that he was. “So, who’s next?”

  Chapter Eleven

  The boat pulled into the harbor hours later, Grant laughing as he jumped out of the boat with the rope. “Her face when you turned her down.”

  “I am spoken for,” Sval said with vehemence, but he laughed just as hard, tying off the rope around the mooring bollard. “Besides, she was definitely a few years older than the women that I usually go for.”

  “I’ll say,” Grant said, following Sval’s directions to tie the knot the right way. “How’s that?”

  “Perfect,” Derek said as he came out of the boat. “We’ll make a natural of you yet.”

  Grant shrugged, still feeling
awkward about the compliments, but actually accepting that he enjoyed the work and wouldn’t mind going out with them again.

  “Grant!”

  Grant was startled by the shout, turning as Morgan came running down the jetty toward him. He moved forward, sweeping her off her feet before she could fall. “Hey, Morgan. What are you doing here? Where’s your dad?”

  “Back at home,” Morgan said. She was crying, Grant realized, and he brushed the tears from her cheeks. Her words registered a beat later.

  “Who’s with you?”

  “Morgan!” Darcy ran through the crowd and let out a breath of air seeing Grant with Morgan in his arms. “Oh God, I thought I’d lost you.”

  “I found Grant,” Morgan said. She curled her arms around Grant’s neck and buried her face in his neck. “You didn’t come back.”

  Grant closed his eyes, not sure how to handle Morgan’s crying. He brushed a hand through her hair. “Daddy and I had an argument, sweetheart.”

  Morgan huffed against his neck. “Daddy said. He said we couldn’t see you because you’d gone away.”

  Grant winced. He could understand why Robert would say that, but his heart ached to think that it was hurting Morgan. “I couldn’t stay anymore, Morgan. It’s not Daddy’s fault and it’s definitely not yours.”

  There was no noise from Morgan, so Grant turned to Sval and Derek.

  “Thanks for today. I really appreciated it.”

  “Go,” Sval prompted. “We know where you’re staying if we wish to find you again.”

  Grant nodded and turned to Darcy. “Where were you going?”

  Darcy gestured for him to walk with her and he did, Morgan’s face still buried in Grant’s neck, her hands clinging to his back. He felt awful that she was so torn up about his leaving. He hadn’t realized quite how much Morgan was being affected by his presence in the B&B.

  “We were actually going to get some candy from the convenience store,” Darcy said. “Robert called to ask if she could come and it was past closing, so I didn’t think Sval and Derek would have a problem.”

  Grant could understand that. “What happened with Morgan?”

  “Someone at the store mentioned having seen the boat come into harbor, and that you had gone with them on their deliveries. She ran off before I could stop her, yelling that she had to find you.” Darcy gave Morgan a soft look. “She was really upset last night, I think.”

  That wasn’t a surprise. “Were you?”

  Morgan nodded her head, still not moving away from Grant’s neck. “Daddy said we wouldn’t see you again and he was sorry. He was crying but I didn’t believe him.”

  “He was sorry, Morgan,” Grant pressed. They were both at fault for their argument and Grant didn’t want Morgan to think otherwise. “Just like I’m sorry. I should have said goodbye.”

  “But why do you have to say goodbye?” Morgan whined. “I don’t understand. I thought we were having fun.”

  Grant cursed inwardly. “Guests don’t always stay forever.”

  “I know,” Morgan said, finally pulling away from his neck. He brushed her cheeks once more so that she had a dry face. It didn’t help with the redness, but he knew a good wash of her face would fix that. “But I thought you and Daddy were friends.”

  Grant didn’t know what to say to that, so he didn’t. He kept quiet all the way back to the B&B. Robert was waiting in the doorway, looking panicked, and Darcy immediately ran ahead to explain why they had been so long. Robert was listening, though he was staring at Grant and Morgan. Grant felt self-conscious, but he didn’t let it get to him.

  “She ran to me,” he said immediately. “I didn’t think I had that much impact on her.”

  Robert swallowed, not able to meet Grant’s eyes. He opened his mouth once, twice. “I’m–”

  “You don’t have to,” Grant said immediately. He brushed a lock of Morgan’s hair out of her face. “You have to stay with your Daddy, Morgan, all right?”

  “I know,” Morgan said, though her eyes started to well up. Grant couldn’t handle her crying again, so he looked at Robert and then back to Morgan. “But maybe if we ask Daddy nicely, I can come and eat dinner sometimes while I’m still here?”

  Robert looked embarrassed when Grant met his eyes. “I shouldn’t have kicked you out. That was unfair and I’m sorry.”

  Grant nodded quickly because he couldn’t trust himself to answer that. When Morgan gave his neck a quick squeeze and she kissed his cheek, she asked to be put down. Grant did, and she moved to let Robert hug her, to make sure she was safe. Grant could only imagine what it must have felt like to think his daughter was missing.

  “Please don’t run off again,” Robert said, his voice breaking. “If you wanted to see Grant, you just had to ask.”

  “You said you didn’t know where he was,” Morgan said, sounding small.

  Darcy looked uncomfortable. “If you’re done with me, again I’m sorry, I’m gonna head back to check in with Sval and Derek.”

  “Sure,” Robert said quickly. “Thanks, Darcy.”

  “No problem.” Darcy disappeared quickly, leaving Grant to stand awkwardly in front of the B&B.

  Morgan was still wrapped in Robert’s arms and she looked at Grant. Grant sighed. “I’m staying in the cabins if that helps.”

  Robert looked surprised and hurt, but Grant couldn’t bring himself to feel guilty. Robert had been the one to ask him to leave. He didn’t say anything, waited for Robert to address him first. “How are they?”

  “Not as good as here,” Grant admitted, because he had felt more comfortable in the B&B than he did at the cabins, even if it had only been one night. “But somewhere to rest my head while I’m in town.”

  “Don’t you miss us?” Morgan asked, her voice still small. On anyone else, Grant would have suspected someone trying to manipulate him, but she looked genuinely upset and Grant didn’t know what to do with it. She was so young and if he had been aware of what his actions would ultimately do to her. He wasn’t sure he could have stopped himself given what he had been feeling for Robert. But that didn’t make it any easier to accept.

  “Of course I do,” Grant said, his own voice breaking. “But your Daddy and I… sometimes I have to stay somewhere else, but that doesn’t mean I’m leaving altogether, okay, Morgan? I’m still gonna be in town and if your Daddy doesn’t mind, maybe we can get together sometimes.”

  “Of course,” Robert said, and there was an expression on his face Grant couldn’t identify. It seemed par for the course with Robert.

  “See?” Robert said, kneeling down in front of Morgan. “Do you trust me?”

  “Yes,” Morgan said without hesitation. She shifted closer to Grant and he held out an arm until she curled into it.

  “I’ll come and see whenever I can, okay? I have to do some work while I’m here and you’ll be at school, but I’m sure we can work it out.”

  “Okay.” Morgan hugged Grant tight and then ran into the house.

  Grant sighed, climbing to his feet, the awkwardness returning between he and Robert. Robert sighed and rubbed a hand over his face.

  “I am sorry,” he said. “I know you – I know you meant well, but.”

  “You don’t have to say anything else,” Grant said, realizing as he did that it was true. “I think maybe,” he continued, not sure he should keep talking, but needing to get it out. “Maybe I was – it was too fast or something?”

  Robert looked slightly relieved. “Yeah. So.” He paused, slipping his hands into his pockets. “Maybe you could come over sometime?”

  “I don’t do much in the evenings,” Grant said with a small smile. “How’s tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow’s good,” Robert said, his own smile widening.

  Grant nodded, feeling lighter than he had in a long time, and he felt like he should do something before leaving, but Robert backed up a bit, further into the doorway, and Grant gave an awkward wave as he walked away.

  His smile didn’t dim all the wa
y back to the convenience store, where he figured he should drop in on Sval and Derek and talk to them a bit more. He didn’t need to have worried; there was a note stuck to the door with Grant’s name on it.

  Grant, I am sure things with you and Robert are fine, but if you need someone to talk to, we’ve left our numbers at the bottom of the note. If you don’t come back before we leave, we’ll assume things are great, so good luck!

  Grant kept the note for the two numbers and kept his hands in his pockets as he made his way back to the cabins. The cafe was still open, but Natasha wasn’t inside, but Grant paused long enough to grab something for dinner. The cafe didn’t do delivery, which wasn’t a surprise, but Maria was working and as she owed a favor to Natasha, she gave him a plastic container to put some food in.

  “Make sure you bring it back,” she warned.

  “On my honor,” Grant said, one hand pressed to his chest.

  Maria rolled her eyes but laughed him out of the door.

  Grant grinned as he headed out, the food warm in his hands. It wouldn’t take long to get to the cabins, so the food should stay warm until then. He had forgotten about the food he had at the B&B, but he didn’t want to disturb Robert again until it was necessary.

  Where yesterday the cabin had been less than enticing, when he opened the door, he felt lighter than he had before. Perhaps it had something to do with his problems in Maine being somewhat sorted. The food was still warm, and he tucked into it while he scrolled through his phone, texting his mom and friends about what he had been up to.

  It didn’t take long for his phone to ring, thankfully after he had finished his meal, and he rolled his eyes at the Seb that flashed up on the screen.

  “You could have just texted in return.”

  “I could have,” Seb said, and he sounded distant enough that Grant suspected he was on speaker phone. “But then Matt couldn’t yell at you as well.”