Page 15 of Island Girl

“I never do.” She patted his arm and headed for a table near the window, where another woman was already waiting for her. They greeted each other with the easy familiarity of old friends.

Merritt watched the exchange with fascination. She walked over to Justin, who was drying glasses.

“Who's Dottie?”

“Dorothy Hutchins. Lives over on the east side of the island. Retired lawyer from Chicago. She's been coming in here foryears.” He lowered his voice. “She's been trying to get my grandfather to go out with her for at least three of those years.”

“And he won't?”

“Nope.” Justin set down the glass. “My grandmother was the love of his life. He still talks to her, you know. Every evening, he walks out to the deck and tells her about his day. What he's working on, what's happening at the bar. It's been twelve years, and he's never missed a day.”

Merritt felt something catch in her throat. “That's beautiful.”

“That's my grandfather.” Justin shrugged. “Dottie's nice. She's not pushy about it, and she respects his boundaries. I think she just likes making him uncomfortable.”

“He didn't look uncomfortable.”

“That's because you don't know him yet. For Crocker, that was practically blushing.”

Merritt laughed and shook her head. She grabbed her towel and headed back out to check on her tables.

The evening settled into a rhythm. Food came out of the kitchen, drinks flowed from the bar, and the noise level rose as more people filled the room. Merritt ran, just like she had the night before. But tonight it felt a little easier. She knew where things were. She remembered names. She was starting to understand the flow.

Around eight, she noticed him.

Ray.

He'd slipped in without her seeing, and now he sat in his corner, same table as before. Same drink in front of him, Jameson, neat. He stared at nothing, his eyes fixed on that middle distance that didn't exist.

She watched him for a moment. He hadn't touched his drink.

“Don't,” Justin said quietly, appearing beside her.

“I wasn't going to do anything.”

“You were thinking about it.” He handed her a tray of food. “Table four. Then take a ten-minute break.”

Merritt delivered the food, checked on Ed and Margie, and then slipped out the back door to the deck. The sun was setting now, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. She leaned against the railing and breathed.

Ray Maguire. The man who came every night and spoke to no one. The veteran who'd come back different.

She thought about what Justin said. Don't push. Don't try to save him.

But she couldn't stop wondering. What had happened to him? What was he seeing when he stared at nothing? What would it take to bring him back?

She didn't have answers. She wasn't sure there were any.

But standing on that deck, watching the sun sink into the Gulf, she made herself a promise.

She would be patient. She would be kind. And when he was ready, if he was ever ready, she would be there.

The screen door opened behind her. “Break's over,” Justin called.

Merritt took one last look at the sunset and headed back inside.

CHAPTER 5

Merritt woke before her alarm. The light coming through the window was soft and pink, the sun just starting to rise over the water. She lay still for a moment, listening to the sounds of the island waking up. Gulls calling. The distant hum of a boat engine. Someone downstairs, probably Justin, already moving around.