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Major eye roll. “I already have one dad.”
Jason started making her drink. Fresh strawberries, a light touch of both light and dark rum, lime, ice. That looked good too.
“And where is your overbearing brute of a father?” Jason asked lightly.
“One guess.”
“What are your plans?” Jason said without guessing.
“If I said I was going to get drunk, you probably wouldn’t serve me.”
“I don’t want your dad to get me fired.”
“He probably wouldn’t notice,” she mumbled and took the drink from him. “Later.” She looked me up and down long enough to make me uncomfortable, then headed toward a lounge chair on the beach.
Jason wiped the counter as he made his way back to my side of the bar. “Brie’s dad has a new girlfriend,” he said.
“Is she really old enough to drink?” It came out before I realized it was a dumb question.
“Eighteen is legal here,” he said. “But I wouldn’t let her get wasted.” He paused, then added almost as an afterthought, “She’s apprehensive about college and the fact that her dad has a serious girlfriend.”
Observantandcute. What wasn’t to love about this guy? Maybe I could overlook his risky nature...
“Her dad really isn’t a brute,” Jason said. “He’s actually a pretty cool guy. Former baseball player. Andrew Locke?”
“I met him earlier,” I said. “The orthopedic surgeon who apparently saved his career introduced us.”
Jason laughed. The sound was genuine and filled my heart. He seemed to be as happy and content as I wanted to be. Jason acted like he loved his job and his life, and suddenly I wanted to lovemyjob andmylife just as much.
“Dr. David Butcher,” Jason said. “David and his husband visit St. Claire every year for their anniversary.”
“I heard the story on the ferry,” I said.
Did everyone know everyone else’s business on this island? Were there no secrets?
Suddenly, I thought,What does the staff know about me?It wasn’t that I had secrets, but the idea that my life was ripe for analysis among guests and staff made me squeamish.
“Andrew pitched for the Dodgers for six years, had surgery, then was traded to the Braves for another six years, had even better stats. Retired at thirty-five.”
“He must have a good financial planner,” I heard myself saying, then mentally slapped myself.Stop thinking about work!Yet... retiring at thirty-five and not having to work was a huge accomplishment. I might have to ask him who he worked with—I was always interested in new ways to safely build my clients’ portfolios.
He nodded to my drink. “Another?”
“I’m not done.”
“You’re almost done,” he said as he started mixing another drink.Sure, why not?I thought. Maybe a couple drinks would loosen me up.
“Sherry is the first woman he’s brought since I’ve been here,” Jason said. “It was always just him and Brie. She’s feeling displaced.”
I was getting an overprotective big brother vibe. I felt for the sulky teenager.
“Being a teenager isn’t easy,” I said.
“But it’s fun,” he said with a flirty grin, placing the fresh piña colada in front of me and removing my nearly empty drink.
“Nothing about being a teenager is fun,” I said, twirling the little umbrella in the icy concoction. “It’s all about navigating shark-infested waters and coming out with a diploma and your sanity intact.”
“I can’t imagine that a cute girl like you didn’t have every teenage boy begging for a date.”