Summer on Main Street

by Crista McHugh

  “I took out a loan, so I have cash, but I want to hold onto it until I see what I’ll have to hire out.”

  She didn’t want to ask about the inflow of money in the meantime. They would be fine. But they needed to get this motel off the ground, and hope it was successful.

  “Let’s call it a day,” he said as she picked up a broom to sweep up the floor. “I’m starving.”

  “Let’s finish this room first, so at least we’ll feel like we accomplished something today.”

  “Bri, it will take hours.”

  “An hour, tops. Come on. Let’s go.”

  They dragged the rest of the furniture out of the room, and swept the trash out of the room, off the sidewalk into a dustpan, then carried it to the dumpster. The room still needed the carpet ripped out before they cleaned and painted it, but Brioney was satisfied—and tired and stinky—when they got in Fitz’s truck to go home.

  “I can come help earlier tomorrow,” she said.

  “Why’s that?”

  She shouldn’t have said anything, should have anticipated his question. “I don’t have any place I need to be.”

  “Where have you needed to be this week?”

  When she didn’t answer, he blew out a sigh. “I know you don’t want me coming back here telling you what to do.”

  “Understatement.”

  “I just want you to make good choices.”

  “Which I’ve been doing, without you, for years. I’ve been alone all that time. I’m not making choices lightly, and I’m taking care of Joy. Please, trust me to know what I’m doing.” She only hoped she was telling the truth.

  Chapter Seven

  Blue didn’t often need a buffer between himself and his parents, but he knew they’d be quizzing him on his relationship with Brioney. And, well, everything was just too up in the air for him to be able to answer with any certainty. He didn’t mind uncertainty in his life, most of the time, but now that he and Brioney were involved, finally, he wanted to know they were going to make it before he discussed it with anyone.

  Anyway, he didn’t want his parents asking him a lot of questions, so he invited Logan.

  Logan had hesitated. He hadn’t been out to the house in a long time, but hey, a free home-cooked meal meant a lot to a bachelor. So now they drove out to the artist colony in the tow truck.

  His mother was happy to fuss over Logan.

  “You haven’t been here in ages. I want to know everything that’s going on with you,” she said, tucking her arm through his and pulling him into the house.

  Logan looked over his shoulder at Blue, who lifted one hand in apology.

  At least Logan would get a good meal out of it.

  “Blue, shame on you for not bringing him out here sooner,” his mother said, spooning another chile relleno onto Logan’s plate. “I love it when someone enjoys my food.”

  “And listens to stories you’ve told the rest of us a hundred times,” Blue’s dad said with a grin.

  “Too bad those cute little artists aren’t still here,” his mother said. “I bet they would have fawned all over you.”

  “I could use some fawning,” Logan said with a grin.

  “What about Blue? Is someone fawning over him?”

  Ah, great, he should have known she’d turn his friend against him. Logan glanced over.

  “I haven’t seen him with anyone.”

  “Right, but you know who he’s seeing.”

  “Who says I’m seeing anyone?” Blue intervened.

  “I’ve heard things.”

  “But not who?” He found that hard to believe.

  “I’m happy you’re seeing someone, but I wish you’d bring her out here.”

  “I’ll bring her when she’s ready. It’s only been a little over a week.”

  “Are you going to tell me who it is?”

  “Are you going to look me in the eye and tell me you don’t know?”

  “A mother shouldn’t hear about her son’s love life from a third party.” She folded her arms on the table. “I have to admit, I’m surprised.”

  “Why?”

  “She comes with a lot of baggage.”

  “We have some things to work out, but she’s worth it.”

  Blue’s father put his hand over his mother’s hand. “We had some baggage to work out, too, back in the day. Blue knows what he’s doing. So, Logan, how’s your boy doing? Where are they living now? San Antonio?”

  “They are. He’s in first grade now, so I don’t get to see him as much, you know, during the school year.”

  “And Mary’s getting married again,” Blue added.

  Logan shot him a thanks-a-lot look. “Yeah, next summer. Apparently it’s going to be a big wedding.”

  “Have you met her new guy? Is he good to Joshua?”

  Logan kept his gaze on his meal as he shoveled some sauce onto his fork. “He is, and I’m glad of that. I know Mary would never choose anyone who would hurt Josh. She’s a good mom. But it’s hard to think of another man living in the house with him, another man my son will be looking up to.”

  Okay, now Blue was regretting bringing it up. He’d known Logan was missing his kid, but he hadn’t really thought it through. Would Cameron feel the same way about Blue if Blue and Brioney married, and Blue stepped into the role of father in Joy’s life? Of course he would, right? What man wouldn’t? The complications in this relationship just kept adding up.

  “You aren’t thinking about moving up there, are you?”

  Logan shrugged. “I’d hate leaving Avalon, but I want to be part of his life, and that might be the easiest way.” He looked up at Blue. “Nothing’s decided. I won’t leave you high and dry. It’s just something I need to consider.”

  If he married Brioney, would Cameron feel compelled to move to Avalon? What position would that put Brioney in? Would she choose to go back to Cameron, just to make everything easier?

  “Blue? Are you here with us?” his mom asked, covering his hand with hers.

  “Yeah, let’s go have that wine on the porch,” he said, picking up his plate, and Logan’s, and heading toward the sink.

  “Hey, I’m not done yet,” Logan protested, reaching for his plate.

  “Don’t worry, I have plenty of leftovers to send with you.” His mother patted Logan’s shoulder. “But yes, let’s get out there before the sun sets.”

  *****

  Blue hopped down from the pilothouse, ready to tidy the boat after the charter people left. He looked up when he heard footsteps on the dock, and he saw Fitz strolling down the pier, hands in the pockets of his cargo pants. Blue pushed his hair back from his face and braced his hands on his hips, waiting.

  “Fitz. Ready to go out?”

  Fitz raised his eyebrows. “You offering?”

  “Sure. You got time?”

  “Ah.” Fitz swung onboard, picked up a life vest and stored it under a seat. “Not why I came down here. Maybe another day.”

  “So why did you come down here?” Like he couldn’t reason it out. But he was going to make Fitz say it, just like he made Brioney.

  “I came to see if you want to come to work for me.”

  Blue kept smiling as he processed the request he wasn’t expecting. “Work for you?”

  “Yeah, on the motel. I worked out the budget and I can afford to pay you a salary. Not a great one, but steady work.”

  “You think I need money, Fitz?”

  Brioney’s brother rocked back on his heels. “I know it’s getting to be a slow time of year, and your income isn’t what it is over the summer.”

  “I’ve been doing this enough years to know to put some aside for a rainy day. But if you’re looking to hire, my partner Logan could maybe use the work. He’s got child support.”

  “That’s good to know, but I’m really interested in hiring you.”

  “Why’s that, exactly? To keep me away from your sister?”

  Fitz folded big arms over his big chest. “More to make sure you�
��re worthy of her.”

  “And being employed by you, that makes me worthy?”

  “She’s worked too hard for too long. She deserves someone who will take care of her.”

  Blue grinned. “Well, we’re not quite there yet, but if it works out to that, I can take care of her and Joy just fine. Not sure that’s what she’d want, but I’ve got it covered.”

  “I’m talking a job that will support her.”

  Blue got it. Everyone thought he was a knock-off, just because he wasn’t focused on one thing. But this way, he was never bored. He mimicked Fitz’s pose. “Yeah, no, thanks. But talk to Logan if you need someone to help out. He’s a fast learner and a hard worker. And if you ever want to go out on the boat, you just let me know.”

  Fitz considered him a moment before nodding. “We’ll talk later.” He swung off the boat and walked back down the pier.

  *****

  Brioney lifted her shoulder to rub her hair out of her face. She’d reasoned that if they could get one room a day cleaned out, they’d have the place ready for repairs by the time Fitz’s friends got here after Thanksgiving. But some of these rooms were going to kick their ass, especially on days when she had to get to work.

  “Fitz? Bri?”

  She had to be hearing things. She poked her head out the door and saw Blue stepping over the broken sidewalk. She wiped her hands on her jeans and stood in the doorway.

  “Blue. What are you doing here?”

  “Fitz said you could use some help, so I came to see what I could do.”

  “Fitz said what?” She turned to her brother, confused. When had the men spoken?

  “I offered him a job,” Fitz said, dusting off his gloves as he joined her in the doorway. “I didn’t ask you to come give a hand.”

  “Yeah, well, I don’t need a job, but I have some free time and I can lend a hand.” He stopped in front of Brioney, and bent his head to kiss her lightly, then turned to Fitz. “Show me what you need help with.”

  Fitz considered him a moment before motioning him to follow. The three of them entered a room farther down the row, which irritated Brioney, since she liked having a system. But as soon as Fitz opened the door and the smell wafted out, she knew what he was doing. She glared at her brother as Blue took a step back and turned his head for a breath of fresh air.

  “Was somebody cleaning fish in there?” Blue asked on a wheeze.

  “Your guess is as good as mine. But we need to get in there.”

  “Geez, can’t we let it air out a bit?” Brioney protested. She’d smelled some nasty stuff on the job, but this was the worst times ten.

  Fitz leaned in and pointed to a hole in the roof. “Can’t get much more aired out than that.” But even his eyes were watering.

  “Let’s do this,” Blue said, and was the first to walk in, pulling work gloves out of his back pocket.

  Brioney tried really hard not to gag as she followed, and then Fitz.

  “The mattress is probably the worst of it, so let’s get that out first,” Blue said, reaching to flip it on its side. “Oh, God, what is that? Don’t look, Brioney.”

  “What?” She craned her head to see a dark smear on the edge of the mattress. “Oh, ugh.”

  Blue grimaced and placed his hands carefully before Fitz took the opposite side and together they moved it out the door and to the dumpster. Brioney took the upholstered chair out, and once the box spring was also in the dumpster, the room smelled a little better.

  “It’ll be even better when the carpet comes out,” Brioney said, grateful to be able to take a deep breath.

  Blue looked over at Fitz. “Are we waiting to do that?”

  Fitz looked from Brioney to Blue. “Let’s get to it.”

  *****

  By the time they were ready to call it a day, Blue just wanted a shower. Preferably with Brioney. They hadn’t tried that yet, and the idea made him smile.

  Which quickly faded when Fitz scowled at him, like he knew what was on Blue’s mind.

  “Thanks for your help,” Brioney said brightly. “I can’t believe how much more we got done with one extra person.”

  Fitz grunted. “I’d be happy to pay you to come back when you have a chance.”

  “Dude, I’m looking around here, and you’re going to need that money for so much more. You’re going to have to get that pool sealed at the very least, if not replaced. You’ve got roofing and reflooring and plastering…if you’re going to hire someone, hire Logan. But I’m thinking your money is better spent elsewhere.” He leaned over and kissed Brioney. “I’ll come back in a couple of days, when I’m free, and help some more.”

  She caught his hand. “Why don’t you come home with us for dinner?”

  Blue glanced at Fitz, who stiffened, then said, “Yeah, come on. We’ll order a pizza.”

  After running by his apartment for a solo shower, Blue took his bike to Brioney’s. She opened the door, dressed in yoga pants and an oversized T-shirt, her hair wet and pulled back in a ponytail.

  “Hey, that was fast. Fitz is still in the shower. Joy and Brandon are acting like they’re starving.”

  Good reminder, because he wanted to sweep her into his arms and taste her bare lips. Instead, he bent his head to take a deep breath, inhaling her.

  “You smell much better.”

  She didn’t step back. “So do you.”

  Footsteps alerted them and he eased away as Joy appeared in the doorway.

  “Not the pizza?” she asked, disappointed.

  “Joy,” Brioney chided.

  “Oh. Hi, Blue.”

  “The pizza should be here by the time Fitz gets out of the shower,” Brioney said. Then to Blue, “You want something to drink?” She led the way into the kitchen, where Brandon already sat at the table, a bottle of Coke in front of him. “Brandon, pour Blue a soda, will you?”

  His attitude toward Blue hadn’t improved, but he got up, fetched a glass with ice, and filled it with soda, passing it over while it was still foaming, and only half-full of liquid.

  “We’re seeing a lot of you around here lately,” Brandon said.

  “I like it here. There’s always good food and good company.” Blue winked at Joy. “You still studying sharks?”

  “She’s the only person I know who watches Jaws and roots for the sharks,” Brandon grumbled.

  “What about Sharknado? Seen that one?”

  Both Brandon and Brioney groaned. “I think we can quote it from beginning to end,” Brioney said.

  “‘Sharks in a tornado,’” Blue said, and Joy chimed in. “‘Sharknado. Simply stunning.’”

  Brioney rolled her eyes, as the doorbell rang.

  “Pizza.” Brandon bounded out of his seat to get the door.

  By the time everything was laid out on the table, Fitz joined them, toweling his hear. He nodded a greeting at Blue, then sat at the head of the table.

  “Do you want to watch Sharknado with me after dinner?” Joy asked.

  “Ah.” He looked at her mother. “May be a little late for a movie on a school night?”

  “But it’s educational,” Joy protested.

  “On how not to make a movie,” Brandon remarked.

  “Have you seen Sharknado, Fitz?” Joy asked.

  “I believe I suffered through it, yes. Not educational.”

  “Jaws, then.”

  “Not tonight,” Brioney said.

  “It’s my night for the TV anyway,” Brandon said.

  “Only one TV?” Blue asked.

  “I figured if we got Brandon his own television, we’d never see him again,” Brioney said. “So we have TV nights.”

  “Seems archaic, doesn’t it?” Brandon asked.

  “I didn’t have a TV growing up,” Blue said. “I bought one as soon as I got to Austin, thinking of all the things I was missing. Turned out, not much.”

  “You used to watch it over here,” Fitz said. “It’s not like you were socially crippled.”

  “That’s true, I
did,” Blue replied easily.

  “That’s right. You used to come around here for Jess. Now you’re coming around for Brioney. Isn’t there a name for that?” Brandon asked, reaching for a slice of pizza.

  “Brandon!” Fitz and Brioney scolded together, Brioney automatically reaching across the table to her daughter.

  “Probably if there is, it’s not polite to mention in company,” Blue drawled, grabbing a slice and sliding it onto Joy’s plate, then looked at Brandon. “No matter what your problem with me is, maybe you shouldn’t be bringing it up at the table.”

  “My problem with you is that you need to move on. You had your shot with this family. Now you need to find someone else.”

  Blue folded his arms on the table. “And if—what’s that cheerleader’s name? Chelsea?”

  “Colleen,” Brioney supplied.

  “If Colleen’s brother told you to get lost, would you just go?”

  Brandon blushed, and shot a betrayed glance at his sister. “I haven’t slept with Colleen’s sister.”

  Another distressed sound from Brioney.

  “We should discuss this later,” Blue said.

  “I don’t want you here,” Brandon said.

  “You’ve made that clear.”

  “That’s enough,” Brioney snapped. “It’s not your choice, Brandon. And if you can’t be civilized, you can go to your room and give up your TV night.”

  For a moment, Blue thought the kid would bolt, but he just hunched down in his chair and chewed on his pizza.

  And his mood.

  Perhaps Blue should have left, just to keep peace. He looked across the table at Brioney, who was sending anxious glances toward her daughter. Joy was giving him a speculative look of her own.

  Fitz came to the rescue, surprisingly, bringing up the motel, and Blue heard a chiding tone in his voice when he addressed Brandon, talking about all the work they’d gotten done today.

  “That pool is going to be your biggest expense,” Blue remarked.

  “Possibly. Or plumbing. My army buddy’s dad is an electrician, so I can get a break there, if he’s willing to come down.”

  “Brioney said you want it running by next summer. You think that’s feasible?”