Summer on Main Street

by Crista McHugh

  “No!” Brioney and Joy exclaimed together.

  “What, you don’t think I can sing?” But he said it with a grin, and Brioney relaxed a little.

  Blue backed the car into her driveway with an expert turn of the steering wheel, pressed a button to lower it to the driveway and shut off the engine. “Let’s see what part it is. You think Brandon’s here, wants to give me a hand?”

  “He’s probably not home yet.”

  Blue nodded. “Right. Well, let me have a look.”

  Brioney opened the door of the house so Joy could get started with her homework, and then walked back to the driveway, where Blue was already bent under the hood, reaching to loosen the offending hose.

  “One thing I like about these older cars, there’s room to work,” he said without looking up. He leaned in a little farther, balancing on the quarter panel, his shirt riding up his back. “Not quite enough room.” He drew out his hand and sucked on a battered knuckle.

  “Blue.” She took his hand and held it in both of hers.

  He gave her hands a quick squeeze and pulled free. “It’s fine. Let me get this off so I can get a replacement.”

  “I’ll, ah, do you want to have dinner? I’ll have it ready when you get back. Nothing fancy, probably a chicken casserole. But it’s the least I can do.”

  “You don’t have to, Bri.”

  “No, I want to. I mean, I’ll pay, too, for the tow and for working on my car.”

  “Did I ask you for money?”

  “You have to make a living.”

  “I came because Joy called me.”

  “And someone else might have called.”

  “But no one did. If it makes you feel better, you can pay for the gas. I’m thinking, what, five bucks?”

  She blew out an exasperated breath. “Then, dinner.”

  He smiled. “I like chicken casserole.”

  *****

  Brioney wished she had beer to offer him, or soda, something beside the hastily brewed iced tea. He got exasperated when she apologized again.

  “Bri, I’m fine. Sit down and eat.”

  Everything, her regular meal of casserole, veggie and roll, looked so sparse on his plate, and she worried it wouldn’t be enough. She sat on the edge of her chair and considered putting some of her serving back in the dish. Then she remembered she had some cookie dough and popped up to warm up the oven.

  “She always like this?” he asked Brandon.

  “Only when Cameron is in town.”

  Blue sat back in his chair. “I’m not Cameron, Bri. Sit down. It’s delicious.”

  She knew it wasn’t. It was chicken, mushroom soup and stuffing. But he tucked in like it was a filet mignon. Gradually she started relaxing and picked at a small bite.

  “How was school?” Blue asked Brandon.

  Brandon lifted a shoulder, as if that gesture would remove the burden of conversation.

  “When I was growing up and didn’t want to talk about my day, Mom would make me hoe her garden unless I shared something.”

  “We don’t have a garden.”

  “Lucky,” Blue said, the word on a breath. “She’d say if I didn’t talk, she’d make me hoe, but then she made me hoe anyway.”

  “That’s child abuse,” Brandon said, and Joy’s eyes widened.

  “No, I hated it at the time, but you know, I learned a lot. And I learned to talk to my mom about my day. So let’s hear it.”

  “You first,” Brandon said.

  “Brandon,” Brioney chided gently.

  “No, it’s okay, I’ll go first.” Blue buttered his roll. “Woke up and headed out in the surf, stopped by my boat to check some things out, but I didn’t have any charters today, so I headed over to the beach and met up with Logan. The rental stand doesn’t make much money during the week, but I decided to open it up anyway. Went into the restaurant to talk to Madeline, and that’s where I was when Joy called.” He turned to smile at her. “Thank you. Also, Madeline wants to know when you’re going to come visit her.”

  Brioney pressed her lips together and shook her head slightly at him, but he only winked and addressed Brandon. “Your turn.”

  “Your day wasn’t very exciting.”

  “Which is why I want to hear about yours. Proceed.”

  Brioney didn’t know why Brandon was being such a butt. She remembered a time when he loved to share about his day, she couldn’t get him to shut up, even as she was tucking him in.

  “I got up, walked to school,” Brandon said, his inflection drawn out. “Went to algebra, then history, then English, then lunch.”

  “And how were algebra, history and English?” Blue interrupted.

  Brandon rolled his eyes. “English sucked because we’re doing Moby Dick and it’s the longest book in history, plus all the jocks keep making jokes.”

  “About what?” Joy piped up, and Brioney glared at her brother, who had the sense to blush and look at his plate.

  “About, ah, you know, whales and pirates and stuff.”

  “How can it be boring if it has pirates?” Joy demanded.

  “Good question,” Blue said with a smile.

  “Can I read it when you’re done?” Joy pressed.

  “I’ll tell you what,” Brandon said fondly. “You read it, then tell me all about it.”

  Joy glanced at Brioney, uncertain of her uncle’s request.

  “He’s teasing. You can read it if you want to, but if I remember correctly, it had long stretches of nothing.”

  “If you want to read about pirates, my favorite book was Treasure Island,” Blue said. “That one wasn’t boring. A lot of nights I sat on my roof and watched for the pirate ships to come.”

  “You live close to the beach?” Joy asked.

  “Well, yeah, now, but when I was growing up, too. One day I’ll take you out to my parents’ house.”

  Joy frowned. “Will she make me hoe her garden?”

  Blue laughed. “She might.”

  “Is the car fixed?” Brandon asked.

  “Just about.” Blue wiped his hands on a napkin and tossed it on his empty plate, then scooted his chair back from the table. “You want to come help me finish it up?”

  “I don’t need another big brother,” Brandon growled.

  “Brandon!” Brioney scolded.

  “It’s okay,” Blue said easily. “I just thought it was something you might want to know how to do, for when you get your own car.”

  “That’ll never happen,” Brandon said, carrying his own empty plate to the counter and disappearing.

  “You’ll do the dishes before bed!” Brioney called after him, then turned to Blue. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why he was in such a bad mood tonight.”

  “Me, coming in on his territory,” Blue surmised, carrying his plate and Joy’s to the sink.

  “He’s not usually like that with Cameron.”

  “Maybe because he knows Cameron isn’t going to stay.”

  She pivoted at his words, but he only winked and ducked out the front door.

  “What did you mean that Cameron wasn’t sticking around?” Brioney asked, following Blue out to the driveway.

  “Has he?” Blue asked in his same easy tone, bending under the hood.

  “He’s been here enough for Joy. You can’t say things like that in front of her.”

  He straightened, bracing his hands on the frame of the car. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset her.”

  She folded her hands and rocked back. He hadn’t, exactly. He’d upset her, though. Not that he’d said Cameron wouldn’t stick around. Maybe he would, maybe he wouldn’t. She thought he loved Joy enough that he would, but she couldn’t control it. She was more concerned about why Blue had said he would stick around, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to ask.

  “I meant he didn’t stick around for you,” Blue said, his head disappearing beneath the hood again. “Brandon is used to being the man of the house, used to looking out for you. That’s what his problem with me
is.”

  She shook her head. “He shouldn’t be worried if we call you for help.”

  He lifted his head again and met her gaze. “That’s not what he’s worried about. He’s worried I’m going to stay. That’s what I meant about sticking.”

  “Why would you? You and Jessamy broke up years ago.”

  “You think that’s why I’m coming around now? Because of ancient history?”

  A thrill went through her, both exciting and terrifying her. “Why are you coming around, Blue?”

  He stepped around the fender of the car, stopping inches from her. He lifted a hand, glanced at it and let it fall before he touched her. “Because I find you fascinating, Brioney.”

  She choked out a laugh and stepped back, needing space. “Fascinating? Me? I’m a maid at a crappy hotel in an out-of-the-way little beach town.”

  “And a single mom holding your family together, raising a teenager and a kid who’s smarter than a teenager, when your brother and sister both left to pursue their dreams. Fascinating is the word for it.”

  He wiped the hand he’d dropped on his shorts, and cupped it around the back of her head. Before she understood what he meant to do, he lowered his head and brushed his mouth over hers, his whiskers tickling her parted lips, his breath rushing hot over her skin before he settled his mouth on hers. His other hand curved around her waist and splayed at the small of her back, bringing her against him until her only choice was to hold onto his shoulders. He smelled of sweat and oil and sunshine, and she opened her mouth for him.

  He made a sound in his throat and stroked his thumb along her jaw, his tongue just teasing her lower lip before he lifted his head to look into her eyes.

  “Fascinating,” he said again.

  She was lost in his blue eyes for a moment, before she realized anyone in the neighborhood could have seen that kiss.

  Joy could have seen it. Oh, Lord, how could she explain that to her daughter? They were going to have to have a talk, just in case.

  She hated that she couldn’t even savor a smoking hot kiss from a sexy man without worrying about the repercussions.

  She eased back. “Blue.”

  A rueful smile canted his lips. “Not exactly the way I thought you’d say my name after that.”

  “I—” She was so confused. Blue and his interest. Blue and his kindness, Blue and Jessamy, Blue and his kisses. How did they all relate? She took a few more steps back, up the sloped yard, wanting at once to retreat to figure this out and at the same time to lean back into his arms, to stretch out on the couch with him and revel in his kisses.

  The second scenario held more appeal than she’d ever expected, but she was scared. “I need to go make sure Joy is doing her homework.” And not looking out the window at her mother making out with a family friend.

  She had time to register the hurt expression on his face before she turned and fled.

  She was proud of herself that she had the courage to return to the driveway just as he was closing the hood of her car. She kept her arms wrapped tightly around herself, sending a clear message.

  “That took way longer than you said it would,” she chided, feeling guilty he spent so much of his evening on it.

  He wiped his hands on a rag and leaned against the fender. “I put in some new spark plugs and a new air filter. Would have changed the oil if I’d had a place to dump the old oil.”

  “Blue, you didn’t have to do all of that.”

  He held her gaze when she would look away. “I know.”

  “This is too complicated.”

  “Why?”

  Why? Did he not understand? “You used to sleep with my sister.”

  He tossed the rag onto the hood of the car and straightened. “I was in love with your sister. But everything changed in Austin. She changed. I couldn’t. It broke my heart to leave her, but I couldn’t stay. We didn’t have a future together. You didn’t have a part in that.”

  She shook her head. “You don’t understand, because you don’t have any siblings. We grew up a year apart, we shared everything, even a best friend. I can not share her boyfriend.”

  “It’s not sharing. It’s the past.”

  “It’s the same thing. It’s the same thing as me getting her shoes when they no longer fit.”

  His blue eyes shuttered then. “Is it?”

  She’d succeeded in hurting him, which wasn’t her intention. “If you had a brother, you’d understand. I want to make my own path, my own choices.”

  “That doesn’t mean her choices were bad ones.”

  “No, it doesn’t, but…” Why was he fighting her on this? “I’m just a maid at a crappy beach hotel, Blue. I’m nothing special, certainly not fascinating.”

  “I’m just a beach bum, and you’re more than that. You’re a single mom, a student, a singer. You know what it’s like to live every minute of your life, and that’s fascinating to me.” He bent to pick up his toolbox, then stood to face her. “But I get it. I think. I’ll see you, Bri.”

  She’d never thought watching him walk away would hurt so much.

  *****

  “My God, Mercedes, he kissed like a dream. Like a prince from a Disney movie or, I don’t know. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.” She dropped her head to her hands.

  They were taking a longer break today. The hotel wasn’t at all busy, and there were only two more rooms to clean.

  Mercedes set her coffee cup down and looked at Madeline, then Brioney. “So why is it you didn’t jump him?”

  “Because Joy. And because Jessamy. And Brandon. You would have been surprised the way Brandon was treating him.”

  “Look, Jessamy already made it clear she doesn’t want him,” Madeline said. “Do you?”

  Brioney curved her hands around her coffee cup and stared at the liquid inside. “I don’t know. I mean, when I think about what I want for me and Joy, down the road, I don’t think I want to live hand-to-mouth anymore. I don’t want some rich guy to come rescue me, you know, but I want to not have to do mental math in my head every time I put something in the grocery cart. Blue doesn’t care if he lives hand-to-mouth. I just…I don’t want to work this hard all my life, and Joy’s not going to get cheaper. She’s going to want a car, and to go to college. I don’t want to be struggling.”

  “Wow, you’ve really dreamed up a future there, from one kiss,” Mercedes said with a laugh.

  “I know, but it’s something I have to think about.” She shook her head, dismissing the idea of Blue, the memory of his kiss. “No, it’s too hard. I have to just leave it where it is.”

  “Then why are we talking about it? Do you want us to talk you into it, or out of it?”

  “I just need to talk it out,” Brioney replied, hurt. “Sorry if I’m bugging you. I have to think like that. I can’t bring someone into my life without thinking about Joy and how it will affect her. Blue is good to her, and it would be hard for her if we tried this out and couldn’t make it work. I don’t want her heart broken before she’s ten years old.”

  “I see your point,” Madeline said. “But she’s not going to learn about relationships by watching whatever it is you and her father have. She’s going to learn from movies, or whatever, and have unrealistic expectations. And honestly, if for no other reason than he’s good to your daughter, I would give him a shot.”

  “Even if he didn’t look like that?” Mercedes asked drolly, nodding out the plate glass window, where Blue was walking out of the waves, carrying his surfboard, water dripping from his hair down his chest.

  All three women turned and sighed as he walked up the beach and flopped on the sand under the sun.

  “Madeline?” Justin Pope called, breaking the spell.

  Madeline rolled her eyes and got up to serve his coffee.

  Brioney lowered her head to her arms. “I can’t fall for a guy who lies around on the beach all day. I can’t. I have to think of the future.”

  “You sound like your sister,” Merce
des said, picking up her coffee.

  *****

  Brioney’s foot slipped on the stool and her guitar clanged discordantly when she lost her grip. She righted herself and looked up as Blue settled onto his usual barstool, placed his order and turned to watch her.

  She forgot every word to every song she’d ever learned. When she’d walked in tonight and hadn’t seen him at the bar, her heart had sunk. She’d sent him out of her life and she’d believed he’d taken her up on it. To see him walking in, late, acting like nothing had changed, threw her off. After the kiss, after the way she’d sent him off, what was he doing here?

  The smile he gave her as she fumbled was a ghost of his usual smile, which made her wonder even more what compelled him to come down. Habit? Or was he seriously pursuing her?

  She thought about taking a break to go ask him, knowing the questions would roll around her brain, taking out lyrics like a runaway train, but she was a chicken. So she rooted herself to the chair and flowed into a song she could sing backward.

  She was on her third song when he rose and crossed the room to pick up her notebook and scrawl a song on the bottom. She could almost feel the heat from his body, he was so close, and even though she knew he lifted his gaze to hers, she didn’t have the courage to meet it. She sang two more songs after he returned to his barstool, getting the words wrong, no doubt, before curiosity won over and she bent to pick up the notebook.

  His was the only request, a Jason Aldean song, but the title had her shaking when she looked up at him.

  “You beat me. I don’t know this one.”

  “Liar.”

  Of course she was lying. She owned every Jason Aldean album and this song was one of her favorites.

  But she wasn’t going to play a song about a guy who’d pined for a girl and was finally stepping up, not with Blue in the room. Hell, she might just wipe every love song off of her playlist.

  Which wouldn’t leave her with very much material, to be honest.

  “You’re giving up because you’re scared.”

  Terrified, actually. Part of her wanted to sing the damned song anyway, just to show him, but to voice those words, while looking at him…

  He made a sound and she met his gaze. He mouthed the word, “Coward,” and her fingers automatically formed the first chord of the song. Defiantly, she leaned into the microphone and sang about a man who’d loved from a distance, hiding his feelings, but was unable to hide them any longer—or unwilling. A smile curved Blue’s lips as he watched her sing.