Page 56 of Just One More Thing

He nods once and heads to Lazy Larry’s, and I stand there watching him walk away, even though that’s a habit I should’ve broken years ago.

Then I turn around and speed-walk inside. Frank is behind the counter with chocolate fingerprints on his shirt and what appears to be half a glaze twist disappearing into his mouth.

I point at him. “That’s inventory.”

He freezes. Chews. Swallows. “Quality control.”

“Mm-hmm.”

He reaches for another one.

“Frank.”

He sighs and pulls his hand back.

I head upstairs, close the door behind me, and lean against it.

Boat.

With Jake.

Alone.

Fine. Totally fine.

I push off the door and go straight to the dresser. Pink polka-dot bikini. Linen shorts. Soft white tee. Sunscreen. Hair tie. Lip balm. bkr. I move fast like I’m packing for something normal and not whatever this is.

I glance out the window. Jake’s already walking down the dock, a bag from Lazy Larry’s in one hand, a cooler in the other. His shirt stretching across his shoulders. His calves, tan and tight. His ass?—

I jump back from the window like I’ve witnessed something illegal.

“Good grief, get it together,” I mumble.

I grab my phone.

I’m going on the boat with Jake this afternoon will you be okay?

Granny answers immediately.

I survived before you were born. I’ll manage.

I’ll be back this evening love you

Bring me crabs or don’t come home. But don’t come home with crabs.

I laugh out loud, shake my head, and slip the phone into my tote.

By the time I get downstairs and cut across to the dock, The Point has gone quiet. No Miss Hattie commentary. No suspiciously well-timed Mrs. Kravitz sighting. No one yelling anything embarrassing. It feels unnatural.

Jake looks up when he hears me coming. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

He just looks at me, and I have to actively ignore the way that feels. “Where’s Hank?” I ask.

“At the restaurant with Bethany.” He unties one dock line and coils it neatly, rope falling into place like second nature. “In the air conditioning. It’s too hot for him today. If we were just cruising, I’d bring his cooling mats and fan, but checking pots takes a while.”

“You miss him already.”