Crashing Hearts: An Oakport Beach Romance

by Emily Bowie

  The waiting room is clean and looks welcoming. But the fact that no one is here has me wondering when my car will be able to get finished. I’m going to need it for the morning. Anxiety starts to roll through me, and my heart starts the fluttering kicks again.

  “Uh, I’m not sure. I thought I would keep my options open.”

  He stops and stares at me, making me fidget. “You’ll stay here,” he finally says, sounding like he’s just made my decision for me.

  “As kind of an offer as that is, I think I need more than a couch in a mechanic shop.”

  “I agree.” He keeps looking at me.

  “Do you have the name of any hotels?”

  His mouth goes wide like finding a hotel would be an impossible task.

  “Motels? Please tell me there is something in town here.” I’m about to have a mini freak out. I can feel my eyes go as wide as saucers.

  “Motel, yes,” he answers warily and pauses like he’s about to give bad news. “But it’s all booked.”

  “How would you know?” Picking up my phone, I do a quick Google search—something I should have done before I left. “Let me guess. Crash a Bed Motel?”

  “You got it.” He shrugs before continuing, “Come back here. I’ll show you what I have.”

  I follow his lead out a side door and behind the building. I see some stairs that look like they could fall through as soon as I place one foot on it.

  “They’re sturdy, I promise.” He begins the trek up, and I should stay where I am, but I’m too curious now.

  “I used to use this as a crash pad.” He looks over his shoulder and wiggles his eyebrows. “But I haven’t worked in the shop here for a few years. I use it when friends and family are in town. You can use it for tonight. I promise it’s clean.”

  He walks through the door, and immediately I smell the lemon-fresh scent. It’s cozy and cute. A small kitchen and living room greet us with what looks like a door to a bedroom.

  “The only downfall is that the bathroom is in the bedroom. So if you have guests, they get a whole tour of the apartment.” He stops and looks at me expectantly. “What do you say?”

  “Are you sure you don’t mind?” I’m starting to feel like I’m taking advantage of the poor guy. Looking around, the room is charming and everything I would need for one night. I have no money in my bank, so even if I had to pay for a motel room, I would have to use one of my almost-maxed credit cards.

  “Not at all. Tony will be able to take you where you need to go in the morning.”

  “You’re not going to be around?”

  “I wish I could, but I have an important meeting.” Of course he would. When you have as many businesses as he seems to, I’m sure he has very little time. My stomach is embarrassingly loud as it begins it grumbling for food. Crash gives me a sideways look as he starts to leave.

  “Are you one of those summer people who don’t eat?” he asks.

  I can’t help my shocked face. “No,” I reply slowly, being taken off guard by the question. “It was a long drive, and I honestly thought I would get into town a lot sooner than I did.” I wait for him to say something, hoping maybe he’ll invite me to get a bite to eat.

  He taps on the doorframe, pausing like he’s going to ask me out, but it never comes. “Have a good night.” He dips his head like a perfect gentleman and closes me in my room for the night.

  CHAPTER 3

  I have a list of a hundred more things I need to do by the end of the day, yet I find myself in Oakport Tavern, hoping to accidentally run into Piper again. If she’s planning to get something to eat, this is her only hope. I should have invited her out with me. I keep kicking myself in the ass for not doing that. I had an opening, and I stood there doing nothing. Sitting at the end of the bar, I keep my eye on the door.

  “What can I get ya, Crash?” I look up to see Wade, the bartender.

  “Jack and Coke, with fries.”

  He nods, going to punch it in.

  The Tavern is dim, with the comforting hum of low chatter. Most of the seats have patches from being fixed up through the years. But the glasses are clean, and the booze flows well. I still worry for the day the outside world realizes what a great catch this town is. Then the strip malls, fancy restaurants, and bars will follow with an overhaul on our marina, ruining what we have created. Next would be the multimillion-dollar houses that act as summer cottages. It will be a sad day if that ever comes. It’s one of the reasons I’m so willing to start up any new business I see us needing, not wanting the outside world to catch on.

  Sweeping my gaze around the bar, everyone I see is familiar, even the summer people. They have been coming here for generations, growing up right alongside us locals in the summer months. It would be weird to see a stranger around.

  That thought has me pausing to make a mental note to take Piper under my wing, so she won’t feel like she doesn’t belong.

  My drink is set in front of me, along with a plate heaped with fries.

  “Thanks, man.” I nod, taking a sip.

  “Are you stalking me?” The voice seems to come from thin air as Piper appears and takes a seat beside me.

  My eyes flicker over her. She has on jean shorts and a T-shirt that has the saying I work out to burn off the crazy. I more than like the change-up in clothing, and damn if she doesn’t look hot as hell.

  My tongue seems to forget to work, and I feel like I’m panting all over her. I’m not this guy. I’m confident, never having trouble with talking to the ladies. I’m the guy who would chase them with worms as we grew up, and then later, the one they would come to for advice.

  She doesn’t wait for me to answer and plucks a fry off my plate. Her moan knocks me back to the land of the living as I watch in disbelief. “Did you just eat off my plate?”

  She shrugs. “It didn’t look like you were eating them. Mind if I have another? I’m starving.” She takes another one, popping it into her mouth. “Not a ketchup fan?” she asks and signals Wade. “Can I get some ketchup, please?”

  “You summer people aren’t shy, are you?” I tease, not minding and pushing my plate toward her. In all honestly, I did order them with her in mind.

  “Summer people?” She laughs. “Is that what I am to you?”

  “I have a feeling you could become a lot of things to me,” I flirt.

  Picking up a fry, she waves it around as she answers, “If I weren’t so hungry, I may’ve taken offense, but I’ll forgive you, because you’re cute.”

  She gives me a wink but keeps eating. I expected more of a reaction, whether it be flirtation or some light-hearted banter. She keeps digging into those fries like she may never eat again.

  “To be clear, which part might you have taken offense to?” I question, trying to figure her out.

  I can see she’s thinking about her answer, her lips pursing as they move right to left, then she swallows the mouthful she had. My cock jumps to attention as it naturally begins to think about what else she can do with that mouth of hers. I try to remind myself this is not the time to get a hard-on.

  Wade comes by, bringing the ketchup and a glass of water for her. “Would you like a drink or more food?” he asks, interrupting her answer to me. He must sense my eyes narrowing at him, as he looks to me and laughs before returning his attention to her.

  “I’m good for now,” she responds, smiling at him. I clear my throat, trying to get that attention back on me.

  “The name calling.” She says it so matter-of-factly, like it was completely obvious. “How would you like me to call you—” She pauses as she thinks of a name for me. I can’t wait to hear this. “—ocean people, or beach lifers.” Her eyes light up at the second name she made up, and we both laugh.

  She is a breath of fresh air. I love how open and upfront she is. I don’t think I have ever met a girl like her before. She intrigues me.

  “Year-rounds would work too.” I shrug, stealing one my fries. “And living here gives me a talent.” I lean on
the bar, looking at her.

  She quirks a brow, waiting.

  “I give the best tours.”

  “Good thing I don’t need a tour. I already got one when my car was towed into town,” she sasses back with a gleam in her eye.

  “Everyone is getting laid!” A holler is sent through the tavern, and I see my cousin, Danger, wearing at least fifty multicolored leis and only a white sheet wrapped around his body. I take it my cousin and friends continued drinking after I left them earlier. “Party at the beach!”

  I turn to Piper, who’s wide-eyed and looks to be questioning if this is everyday stuff. I don’t know how to respond. My cousin has always been a bit off his rocker.

  My eyes, along with everyone else’s return to my cousin, the ruckus he’s causing draws us all in. He turns around and showcases his white ass to enough people that this will run through town like wildfire before morning.

  The area around the bar is silent, watching his naked ass until the door closes and the slow chatter and utensils clattering make their way back into their normal lulling sound.

  “You were at the beach before you found me in a sand dune,” It’s not a question, more of an observation as she takes one of the last few fries left on the plate.

  “Looks like I got out of there in time.” I chuckle. “If you wanted to check out our town completely drunk, I could take you.” There I go putting off the rest of my list. I do need to be getting home soon. My other cousin Frankie said she’s only staying for a little bit while she looks after Millie for me.

  “I wish I could.” She sighs. “But I’m open to you walking me back, if you have time?”

  “I have all the time in the world,” I lie. My phone rings, and I mute it right away, seeing Frankie’s number on the other end. She can wait. I’ll owe her one.

  “I’ll get his bill,” Piper tells Wade, but he knows better, shaking his head.

  “Crash has a tab running. I have a bet going on how long it will take him to pay in full. If I let you take care of this, I’m that much closer to losing.”

  He’s daring me to say otherwise. We both know I pay my bill in cash every time.

  “Whoever has Christmas, I’d put my money on them,” I counter, watching Wade shake his head as I stand, not putting money down for the first time. I’ll let him think I might not pay my bill for a while to see if he sweats. Wade likes to pull pranks, so if I can put one over on him, I will.

  We both stand and take a few steps away from the bar before Wade calls, “Crash.” He nods to come back.

  Hesitantly, I step back, not wanting to leave Piper’s side. His voice is low for no one else to hear. “Stop chasing a dream you think you need, and live a little. Work will always be waiting for you, but pretty ladies like her won’t be.” He looks from me to Piper. If he weren’t such a good friend, I would tell him to mind his own business.

  “I finished my ‘to do’ list. No more work for me today.” He studies me, knowing all too well I’m always working. Today was the first time I took a few hours off in months.

  Returning to where Piper is waiting, I place my hand on her lower back, needing to touch her as we leave the dimly lit tavern. If I thought about how the small touch made my heart race, I might change my mind on walking her home. My eyes lock onto the loose pieces of her hair flying around from the ocean breeze. She looks like she belongs in this town already. Peeking over at her, I try to conceal the way my eyes try to get another glance at her perfect form. She’s naturally beautiful. Not like most summer people who use makeup to enhance their looks.

  The slight breeze feels great on my skin. For the life of me, I can’t think of anything to say to start up a conversation, but the silence doesn’t overwhelm me; it feels natural. Taking a deep breath, I promise myself I will only walk her home. She doesn’t need the first person she meets trying for more. And if she’s staying, I have a feeling we will be seeing each other every day.

  That’s the reason I latch onto, trying to convince myself not to kiss her. I want too. Her lips look soft and inviting, and she has this way of pulling me in. She inhales a sharp breath, gaining my attention back on her, not that it really left. Coming to the mechanic shop, I once again remind myself that I will not kiss her, and push it further by vowing I won’t go upstairs.

  Coming to the old stairs, I stop, and she turns to me, nibbling on her plump lower lip. “Thank you for walking me back.” She rocks from her toes to her heels. I can’t help myself. I take a slight step closer. Her pupils dilate, taking over her beautiful green eyes, and I forget why I decided I shouldn’t kiss her. All of my logic goes out the window. She’s an adult; she looks like the type of person who knows what they want.

  I’m not doing anything wrong. The longer we stand toe-to-toe, I know nothing will stop me from sampling her lips. Her chest rises and falls, and her eyes are laser-focused on me. I’m drawn to her, the attraction as strong as magnets.

  My hands cup her hips, closing the distance. They fit perfectly, like she was made for my hands. My eyes focus on our perfect fit before slowly rising to meet her eyes. She’s watching me and gives me this sassy grin that feels like a challenge. The air seems hotter back here, secluded from the wind and the rest of the world. I can feel the tension building, wrapping around our bodies. Bending down, my mouth hovers over hers, and she stills. I think maybe she’s going to say something, but instead she closes the distance, pressing those lips against mine. They’re softer than I imagined. My lips part, and I lick into her mouth.

  One hand pulls her body against me, while my other hand digs into the back of her hair. She moans under my mouth, and I’m a goner. The only thought racing through my mind is that this is one hell of make-out session. I know I won’t be able to have this as my only sample of her lips, making her my new summer mission. Every kiss I have ever had disappears like it never happened. I try to ignore all these fleeting thoughts, not willing to accept that she may have ruined everything I thought I knew about kissing.

  Pulling away breathless, lust clouds my vision. “Well, have a good night now.” My voice is hoarse. If I don’t leave now, I will be having sex with her. I remind myself this isn’t a race but a marathon.

  She nods, tripping over her own two feet as she gives me a smile and a small wave. “Bye,” she mumbles, running up the stairs.

  This summer has certainly become interesting.

  CHAPTER 4

  I take extra time getting ready in the morning, determined to make the best impression possible, and not because I might run into Crash. I carefully curl my soft, light-blonde hair, loving how each strand curls perfectly. I rarely have the chance to have my hair down with working so many hours.

  I wear the only skirt I own, a jean skirt that seems to have shrunk since I washed it last. Instead of hitting my knees, it goes to the middle of my upper thighs. Tugging it down, I’m able to get it to a sensible length at the cost of it riding on my hipbones.

  I don’t even know if I have a shirt long enough to pull this off. I swear my life is the definition of a hot mess. Tossing shirt after shirt, I conclude I’m just going to have to own my skirt’s length. That or wear scrubs.

  Pulling my skirt back into place, I put on a white sleeveless blouse and a nice blue cardigan. I have to admit I look cute, but not as professional as I would like. Biting my lower lip, I go back and forth on the scrubs idea.

  A knock at the front has me making my final decision. I’m sticking with the short jean skirt. It will have to do.

  Opening the door, Tony is waiting for me. “Ready to go?” He peers into the apartment. It looks like I have fully moved in. My clothes are hanging over the couch, on the handle to the bedroom, and if he could see in there, he would see I have a huge pile in the middle of the bed.

  “Sorry about the mess. Crash will never know I was here when I pack up.” Looking back at the room, I wish I could pack up before I leave. What if he needs this place early this afternoon and I’m not cleared out? I should have thought about
this instead of how I was going to look.

  My nerves are getting the best of me. I need this job. Mr. Jennings did say in his email that I had it, as long as his aunt likes me. I should have gone with the scrubs. Damn it.

  The ride is silent, I’m too jittery to talk, and I get the feeling Tony is naturally a quiet guy. As soon as I give him the address, he knows exactly where it is. I can feel my phone vibrate in my hand. Peeking at it, I see it’s my sister Bex. Silencing her call with a push of a button, I flip it back over. My nervousness is already making my fingers tremble and knots form in my stomach.

  We head away from town, away from the ocean, and toward the vastness of open fields.

  “Will you need a ride back?” Tony asks.

  “No, I emailed Mr. Jennings last night explaining the situation, and he said he can help me when I need a ride back.”

  “How generous of him,” Tony replies with a half-laugh.

  As we come down the driveway, my gaze lands and stays trained on the souped-up black Jeep. The same convertible Jeep Crash stopped in. My fingers go to my lips, wondering what the odds are. Thousands of butterflies invade my already on edge stomach at the thought.

  In the middle of all this land is a small cabin-like house and a barn that looks to be twice as big. A large wooden fence extends from the side of the barn down the long driveway. A few yards before the small break between the fence and barn walls is a missing section with white rope fixing the break in wood.

  Tony brings my attention back to him. “Here you are.”

  I give him a soft smile before stepping out of his truck. I wave goodbye, trying to calm the tension I feel in my shoulders. I don’t move toward the house until the truck is out of sight. Blowing out a breath of air, I knock on the door with three loud bangs. I’m met with the sound of my own breathing. No steps echo on the other side. I wait, fidgeting with my unneeded sweater before knocking again. I’m starting to sweat in my light cardigan with the heat of the morning.