Hold Me Now: Hope Harbor

by Harrison, Ann B

  “Exactly what I was going to say.” He walked a little further before he spoke again. “As humans we tend to put the pressure on ourselves, don’t we? Why do we feel as though need to fight to get ahead, like salmon swimming upstream battling the millions of other fish with the same goal. Because if we don’t get there ahead of the others, our life won’t have purpose. Won’t be fulfilling enough. We don’t know when to slow down, which is a sad thing indeed.” He took a deep breath of sea air and stretched out his hands. “The island brings that home. It gives you time to sit back and breathe. I hope you get that time while you’re here, Hilary.” He nodded. “Nice to meet you. Perhaps we’ll cross paths again.”

  She watched as he whistled to his dog, snapped on the lead and headed up to the roadway, leaving her pondering his little gems of wisdom.

  * * *

  Arlo woke early the next morning and let Bear out for a run. His nerves were tight and his day hadn’t even started. Last night he’d fallen asleep with Hilary’s voice in his ear. They’d spoken on the phone late into the night. It was becoming a habit, one he enjoyed. She’d promised to come out early today so he could take her around the farm and snap some early morning shots for the website she wanted to make for him. Why he’d suggested they meet up then and not Friday night bemused him. It was already too late to talk himself into not falling for her. His toes were over the edge with no hope of holding back..

  While the coffee brewed, he cleaned the living room, making sure everything was tidy and not the usual ‘anything will do’ kind of clean expected in a bachelor’s home. The pile of dirty socks on the bathroom floor went into the laundry basket, the opened mail into a drawer and all of the dirty dishes into hot soapy water to soak while he cleaned the bathrooms, hoping she didn’t remember the state they were in when she was here last time. He gave his room a quick tidy, changed the sheets and opened the window to let in the cool fresh air. The clothes on the end of the bed went into the closet and his shoes got kicked out of sight. Last night he’d been too bushed to bother and chose to listen to her voice instead as she lay in the front room of Matt’s B&B, watching the stars. He wanted today to be perfect. If everything went well, Arlo was going to ask her to stay the night.

  Not that he expected anything from her like sex. That would be a bonus, but it wasn’t the reason he would ask her to stay over. He wanted time alone with her. Just being with Hilary made him smile. Their nightly phone calls had helped ignite something he didn’t know he was capable of. This need for another human being was on a level different from anything he’d felt before. He suspected it might be the early twinges of love, but Arlo had no intention of rushing to put a label on it. It was still in its early days, and any number of things could go wrong. For now, he’d explore their relationship and see where it went.

  By the time he’d cleared the living room, eaten a rushed breakfast and washed his dishes, he was anxious. He paced the floor from the sofa to the door, looking out for her car. He hadn’t heard from her and the sun was rising over the water. The shots he’d hoped she would capture would be gone soon. The light would change, the mood with it. Arlo consoled himself with the thought that they would have tomorrow if she stayed. But she might not.

  Bear barked outside. Arlo’s heart thumped. This was it. Hilary was here again and now he’d see if the feelings he had for her were real or merely a figment of his imagination. The time stirred up a mix of emotions for him. He hurried out to greet her.

  Her dazzling smile warmed him as he opened her car door. She pulled up beside the barn and Bear ran around her car barking and bouncing in excitement.

  “Hi, Arlo. It’s so good to be back on the island. I missed it.” She climbed out of her vehicle and fell into his arms. He breathed in her perfume and closed his eyes. This felt perfect, safe and just what he needed. He kissed the top of her head as she squeezed her arms around him.

  “How are you feeling? All the aches gone?” He was loathe to squeeze her too tight and hurt her.

  She smiled up at him, her eyes bright and happy. “Yes. I feel so much better.” Hilary held her hands up so he could see her palms. The pale lines and spots of shiny skin were a great improvement on the nasty cuts from last week.

  “Thank goodness.” He slung his arm around her shoulders and pointed a finger at Bear who sat with his tail wagging furiously. “Uh, wait. Bear.” He whispered in her ear. “I think you’d better give him some attention or I can’t imagine how he’ll behave. Probably sulk all day.”

  Hilary leaned down and held the dog’s head in her hands. “Good morning, Bear.” His tongue came out and swiped her across the face and she giggled, the sound making Arlo ridiculously happy.

  “I was beginning to think you’d miss the early morning light show.” He pointed to the sun peeking over the treetops on the other side of the island across from the jetty, the brilliant pinks and golds rippling over the water.

  “Looks like I got here just in time then. Let me grab my camera and we can get started.” Hilary reached into her car, took her camera from the bag on the back seat and checked the lens while he watched. “How about you go and sit on the end of the jetty with Bear and look out over the water.” She adjusted the camera. “None of these shots will make it onto the website without your approval so don’t worry about that now, okay? I’ll snap away to my heart’s content and we can sort them out later.”

  How did she know what he was thinking? He wasn’t ready to have photos of himself online. For Arlo, that would mean too much exposure. “Sure. Come on, Bear.” He jogged down to the end of the wooden structure and sat with his legs dangling over the edge, Bear leaning into his master. Her footsteps brushed over the wooden jetty as she made her way toward him, pausing every now and then to take a shot and then move closer.

  “This is a gorgeous setting, Arlo. Hold still while I get a close up of Bear leaning against you.” She zoomed in and clicked away. “That’s perfect. How about making me some coffee before we start the tour of the rest of the farm? Matt was in a tizzy this morning with lots of guests arriving, so I left him to it. I could really use the caffeine hit.”

  He scrambled to his feet and hooked his arm through hers. “Sure. I have a pot waiting.” The smell of her hair wafted up to his face, leaving him craving a bowl of strawberries.

  “Tell me about the oysters Bryce and Sam were working with last week when I was here trying to wheedle my way into your business.”

  “Those are the ones that will be harvested shortly. Every six months we bring them up and decrease the density, so they have more room to tumble around. We were running a bit late with this load but it’s all done now. They’ll be ready to harvest in three to four months.”

  She grinned and licked her lips. “Excellent.”

  Arlo got a shot of satisfaction all the way to his toes. “The reason our oysters are so plump is because the waters here are so clean and cool. There’s very little boat traffic around this side of the island, and that’s the way I like it for a number of reasons.” It was a bit hard to concentrate with her smiling up at him like that so he brought out his standard reason why his oysters were so good, forgetting until he was almost finished that he’d told her all this before. Blame it on nerves.

  “You don’t like people.” A soft smile curved her lips and there was no retribution in her eyes. She was only stating a fact.

  “Right. Plus, each time the tide comes in, it brings with it all the millions of algae the oysters feed on. Unlike some farms, our oyster bags always hang; they’re never on the sandy bottom so we don’t have to wash out the grit, but we do have to cull the numbers as they grow. All those things combined, I think that’s why they end up being sweeter and plumper.” Arlo started walking toward the house and Hilary walked alongside him.

  “I knew there was something different about them, but I wasn’t sure what it was. They have a certain super fresh, salty bite with an aftertaste so unlike anything I’ve ever tried.”

  “Almost sweet,
aren’t they? Like a delectable fruit you haven’t tasted yet.” It was the best description Arlo could think of to describe the aftertaste. Not sweet like sugar but sweet, nonetheless.

  Her face lit up. “Yes! That’s it. They are sweet. Not a word most people expect to use for oysters. Usually the word savory comes up when I discuss the flavor or even creamy, but when I first tasted them, sweet was the word that came to me after that initial salty bite.”

  A wave of pride rolled over his shoulders. “Some growers harvest when they’re spawning too, which we don’t. I think they taste better in the colder months anyway.”

  Hilary nodded. “I get it and wholeheartedly agree. Some people think it doesn’t affect the taste but me, meh—I’d rather not.” She screwed up her nose. “Tell me, how many oysters are there in each bag?”

  He opened the door and they walked inside. Hilary put her camera on the coffee table and stood looking out the window at the view as he took two cups from the hooks above the counter. Arlo reached for the coffee pot and poured them both a cup. “Let’s take this outside.” She followed him back out and they sat on the picnic table where he continued talking. “To answer your question, we start with about two thousand seeds, as we call the baby oysters, per bag. They only take two years to get to maturity, and in that time they’re moved four times so they don’t get crowded and it’s easy to do the math.”

  “That’s a lot of work, Arlo, but the taste is proof that you’re doing it right.” She sipped her coffee and sighed in pleasure. “This is good. I need my morning coffee to kick my brain into gear.”

  “Thanks.” He tipped his cup in her direction. “The pot is full if you want more. And to get back to your question, it is a fair bit of work, but we wanted to grow something special and I think we’ve managed to achieve that.” From the way she’d relentlessly chased his business, he had every right to feel proud of his product.

  Hilary grinned and wrapped her hands around her mug. “You certainly have. I told you I had a couple of very keen chefs waiting to get their hands on your product.” She held up her hand when he opened his mouth to answer. “I’m not pushing, honestly. I just want you to know the interest is there, and if everything goes ahead, I can assure you that you’re going to be very pleased with the results. I’ve never had such a buzz around a product before it even hits the market.”

  That was good to hear. But it wasn’t why he was going to sign. “So long as we don’t have people arriving on the doorstep, I think it’ll work. You know the family wants to meet you first. I apologize in advance because they will get too personal, but it can’t be helped. We’re a close knit group and I want to be sure things remain the same. Hope Island doesn’t do change very well despite the fact that we welcome tourists with open arms. We like to keep a little bit of privacy where we can, especially in the family.”

  Hilary leaned her chin on her hands and gazed at him across the table. “I don’t blame them one bit. It’d be a shame to see the place get overrun and become too touristy. I certainly felt the difference when I got on the ferry last night. It was such a relief to leave Seattle behind. I’ve never felt that before because the hustle and bustle was all I knew. I thought it was what I needed to survive, you know? Now I’m not so sure.”

  Arlo shuddered at the thought of having to face that every single day. “I don’t know how you do it. I’ve never wanted to go there, not even once.”

  She grinned. “Really? You haven’t left the island?”

  “Not more than a couple of times and only for the day. I hotfooted it back here as fast as I could.” The anxiety of heading to the city made him tremble. It was an experience he had no wish to repeat any time soon. “I didn’t go to college. I started working here when I was still in school, and when the owner wanted to retire, I bought the place with my father’s help. You might think I’m weird, but why should I make myself go away if it’s not what I need or want to do?”

  Hilary held her hand to her chest. “Not at all. I envy you knowing what you wanted and going for it at such an early age. I’d give anything to have not gone through losing the restaurant. That was a horrific time for me, one I don’t wish to repeat. Spending days out here in the peace and quiet is much more appealing than dealing with the cutthroat businesses in Seattle.”

  She really thought so? That was encouraging. Arlo reached out and looped a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and her cheeks flushed again. She was so cute and unpretentious.

  “So, you’d like to live somewhere like this, then?”

  “Oh gosh. Please don’t think I’m angling for anything. That’s not what I meant at all. It’s just that the restaurant trade is tough at the best of times compared to the relative solitude of this place, and you knew what you wanted from the get-go.”

  He smiled. “Stop. It’s okay. I know what you meant and you’re right. Hope Island is the best place on the planet as far as I’m concerned.”

  “I agree. It’s so pretty. Almost perfect, in fact.” The wistfulness in her voice wasn’t lost on him. It gave him a spark of hope for the two of them.

  And then reality kicked in. If they made it work and Hilary moved here, that could backfire on him. His peace and quiet would disappear; his whole way of life would alter. He didn’t know if he was ready for a live-in lover. Maybe he never would be. As much as he liked her, he was terrified she’d change him, and he didn’t know if he could cope with that. On the other hand, he didn’t think he could let her go either.

  Chapter 16

  “Hilary, I’d like you to meet my father, Atticus Hope. Dad, this is Hilary French.” A tall man with silver hair and eyes the same piercing shade of blue as Arlo’s smiled and shook her hand.

  “Mr. Hope. My pleasure.”

  “The name is Atticus, Hilary. Please don’t stand on formality for me. It’s not the way we do things on the island.” His eyes twinkled as he held her hand. “Sounds to me like you’re a young lady on a mission to sell my son’s oysters to the world.” The subtle accent went right to her toes.

  “Dad, get to know her before you put her on the spot.” Arlo gave her an apologetic smile and took her hand. “At least get a drink first and make sure the rest of the family has one before the inquisition begins.”

  “I don’t mind, Arlo. That’s why I’m here.” She smiled at the handsome gentleman standing in front of her. Arlo had the same eyes, the same smile, even the same stance. What was different was that Atticus was more forthcoming than his son. Nothing shy about this man. If anything, he was the most outgoing, personable man she’d met in ages. And handsome. He smoothed his moustache, grinned at her, and ambled off.

  She stood with Arlo while his father made sure everyone was taken care of. “Don’t worry about me. I can take it. I’m used to having to explain what I do. Your father is only looking out for your business, so relax.”

  He slid his arm around her waist and waited for his father to return. When he did, Hilary addressed him with a smile.

  “Back to your first question. Yes, Atticus, I am on a mission. I’m sure you understand why, since you probably eat them quite often. We rarely see oysters of this caliber and I want to represent Arlo with some of the best restaurants in Seattle. I have the connections and certainly the interest.”

  Bryce wandered over and stood near Hilary. “I hear you were involved in the trade not that long ago. That didn’t end so well for you, did it?”

  He was blunt and to the point. Was he simply curious or was Bryce digging for dirt that wasn’t there? “You’re right. It hurt at the time but it made me realize where my true talents lay. And that’s in promoting growers and farmers to the people in the industry I know and trust.” She directed her next words to Atticus.

  “I hope you’ve looked at my website, read a few of my blog posts.” She sipped her wine and kept her poise. It would all work out if she didn’t overthink things.

  His eyes crinkled as he smiled. “That I have. You seem to know what you’re doing. My only conce
rn is what’s best for my son and this business. I don’t want to see his lifestyle get a shake-up unless that’s what he wants. We’re all partial to our privacy, Hilary. Can you guarantee that won’t change?”

  “Mr. Hope.” He frowned and she started again. “Sorry, Atticus. I’ve offered to redo the farm’s website. Arlo and I were out today taking photos to use once I get it up and running. I’ll set up an email address for contacts as well as put myself down as agent for sales inquiries, but at no time will I divulge the exact address of the farm. I had hoped to say it was in this specific area as part of the promotion as well as report on the cleanliness of the water, but I don’t even have to say ‘Hope Island’ if you don’t want me to.” She held her breath as he stared at her. “Do you promote the farm or the oysters that go out now?”

  “Apart from a stamp on the side of the box, no. I guess there’s an address on the invoice but we use a post office box for all business mail.” Atticus looked at his son. “What do you think, Arlo?”

  Arlo shrugged. “Would anyone really find us? There’re a few fish farms on the island. I mean, it’s not like we’re the only one. If we take the sign on the gate down, who’s going to know where we are apart from the locals? They’d never tell anyone. But I get why Hilary wants to reference ‘Hope Island’ because of the tides and the clean water. Everyone knows that the food produced here is first class. Can we discuss it later and make a final decision then?”

  “Son, you can do what you like. It’s your business and your choice. We just want to make sure you’re happy with it, and of course we wanted to meet Hilary. This could be a big deal for the whole family.”

  “I have something to share, just to let you know how Arlo’s oysters are being received. Have any of you heard of the Taste of Seattle food festival?”

  Blank stares met her question.