“How does he do it?”
“Volume, I guess. Like I said, this place is always crowded.”
“Then we were lucky to get a table.”
“Yeah, we were. But we got here before the locals come in, and the beach crowd never lingers. They just pop in for a quick bite and head back out into the sun.”
She looked around the restaurant one last time before glancing at the menu. “So what do you recommend?”
“Do you like seafood?”
“I love it.”
“Then go with the tuna or the dolphin. They’re both delicious.”
“Dolphin?”
He laughed under his breath. “Not Flipper. It’s dolphin-fish. That’s what we call it around here.”
“I think I’ll go with the tuna,” she said with a wink, “just to make sure.”
“You think I’d make up something like that?”
She spoke in a teasing voice. “I don’t know what to think. We just met yesterday, remember. I don’t know you well enough to be completely sure what you’re capable of.”
“I’m hurt,” he said in the same voice, and she laughed. He laughed, too, and after a moment she surprised him by reaching across the table and touching his arm briefly. Catherine, he suddenly realized, used to do the same thing to get his attention.
“Look over there,” she said, nodding toward the windows, and garrett turned his head. On the pier an older man carried his fishing gear, looking completely normal except for the large parrot that was perched on his shoulder.
Garrett shook his head and smiled, still feeling the remnants of her touch lingering on his arm. “We get all kinds around here. It’s not quite California, but give us a few years.”
Theresa kept watching as the man with the bird wandered down the pier. “You should get yourself one of those to keep you company when you go sailing.”
“And ruin my peace and quiet? Knowing my luck, the thing wouldn’t talk. It would just squawk the whole time and probably bite off part of my ear the first time the wind shifted.”
“But you’d look like a pirate.”
“I’d look like an idiot.”
“Oh, you’re no fun,” Theresa said with a mock frown. After a brief pause, she looked around. “So do they have anyone to serve you here, or do we have to catch and cook our own fish?”
“Damn Yankees,” he mumbled while shaking his head, and she laughed again, wondering if he was having as much fun as she was, knowing somehow that he probably was.
A few moments later the waitress arrived and took their orders. Both Theresa and Garrett ordered beers, and after putting the order into the kitchen, the waitress brought two bottles to the table.
“No glasses?” she asked with a raised eyebrow after the waitress had left.
“Nope. This place is nothing if not classy.”
“I can see why you like it so much.”
“Is that a comment about my lack of taste?”
“Only if you’re insecure about it.”
“now you sound like a psychiatrist.”
“I’m not, but I am a mother, and that makes me something of an expert in human nature.”
“Is that so?”
“It’s what I tell Kevin.”
Garrett took a sip of his beer. “Did you talk to him today?”
She nodded and took a drink as well. “Just for a few minutes. He was on his way to Disneyland when I called. He had early morning passes, so he couldn’t talk that long. He wanted to be one of the first in line at the Indiana Jones ride.”
“Is he having a good time with his father?”
“He’s having a great time. David’s always been good with him, but I think he tries to make up for the fact that he doesn’t see Kevin that often. Whenever Kevin goes out there, he expects something fun and exciting.”
Garrett looked at her curiously. “You sound like you’re not so sure about it.”
She hesitated before continuing. “Well, I just hope it doesn’t lead to disappointment later. David and his new wife have started a family, and as soon as the baby gets a little older, I think it’s going to be a lot harder for David and Kevin to be alone together.”
Garrett leaned forward as he spoke. “It’s impossible to protect your kids against disappointment in life.”
“I know that, I really do. It’s just that . . .”
She stopped, and Garrett gently finished her thoughts for her. “He’s your son and you don’t want to see him hurt.”
“Exactly.” Beads of condensation had formed on the outside of her bottle of beer, and Theresa began to peel off the label. Again, it was the same thing Catherine used to do, and Garrett took another drink of beer and forced his mind back to the conversation at hand.
“I don’t know what to say except that if Kevin’s anything like you, I’m sure he’ll end up all right.”
“What do you mean?”
He shrugged. “No one’s life is easy—yours included. You’ve had some tough times, too. I think that by watching you overcome adversity, he’ll learn how to do it as well.”
“Now you’re the one sounding like a psychiatrist.”
“I’m just telling you what I learned growing up. I was about Kevin’s age when my mom died of cancer. Watching my dad taught me that I had to go on with my life, no matter what happens.”
“Did your dad ever remarry?”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “I think there were a few times that he wished he had, but he never got around to it.”
So that’s where it comes from, she thought. Like father, like son.
“Does he still live in town?” she asked.
“Yeah, he does. I see him a lot these days. We try to get together at least once a week. He likes to keep me on the straight and narrow.”
She smiled. “Most parents do.”
* * *
The food arrived a few minutes later, and they continued their conversation as they ate. This time Garrett spoke more than she did, telling her what it was like growing up in the South, and why he’d never leave given the choice. He also told her about some of the adventurous things that had happened while sailing or scuba diving. She listened, fascinated. Compared with the stories that the men told up in Boston—which usually focused on business accomplishments—his stories were completely new to her. He spoke about the thousands of different sea creatures he had seen on his dives and what it was like to sail through a storm that had come up unexpectedly and nearly capsized his boat. One time he’d even been chased by a hammerhead shark and was forced to take cover in the wreck he’d been exploring. “I almost ran out of air before I could come up,” he said, shaking his head at the memory.
Theresa watched him closely as he spoke, pleased that he had loosened up compared with the evening before. She still noticed the things she had last night—the lean face, his light blue eyes, and the easy way he moved. Yet there was energy in the way he spoke to her now, and she found the change appealing. No longer did he seem to be measuring every word he said.
They finished their lunch—he was right, the food was delicious—and went through a second beer each as the ceiling fans whirred overhead. With the sun rising steadily in the sky, it was hot in the restaurant now, but no less crowded. After the bill arrived, Garrett put some money on the table and motioned for them to leave.
“Are you ready?”
“Whenever you are. And thanks for lunch. It was great.”
As they walked out the front door, she fully expected that Garrett would want to return to the shop right away, but he surprised her by suggesting something different.
“How about a walk along the beach? It’s usually a little cooler down by the water.” When she said yes, he led her to the side of the pier and started down the steps, walking beside Theresa. The steps were slightly warped and thinly layered with sand, forcing them to hold the railings as they made their way down. Once they reached the beach, they turned toward the water, walking beneath the pier. The shade was refreshing in the midday heat, and when they reached the compact sand at the edge of the tide, both of them stopped for a moment to remove their shoes. All around them, families were crowded onto towels and splashing in the water.