Page 31 of First Street (Harbor View Cozy Fantasy #1)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Skye

Awkward didn’t even begin to cover it. At my age, there was no excuse for feeling like a jittery teenager again, heart stuttering at the sight of a man I used to crush on nearly thirty years ago.

In that moment all I managed was a quick raise of my hand, a tiny wave that felt ridiculous the second it left me.

I hadn’t known Caleb worked here. I hadn’t even known he was back in Harbor View. Last time I’d checked…yes, I’d actually looked him up online…he’d been living in Boston. A lawyer. Married. A life far away from the village.

I steered Ocean toward the table furthest from the bar, settling with my back to him. Out of sight, out of mind. Or at least, that was the hope.

Maybe meeting Barb here had been a mistake. The thought wormed its way in. Had she picked this place on purpose? She knew about Caleb and me. Those clumsy high school years that still, somehow, had the power to make my stomach flip.

I shook the idea off almost as quickly as it came. Paranoid much, Skye ? This was the closest restaurant to her shop. Convenience, nothing more.

“Who’s the guy staring at you? The one you were totally eyeing?”

Ocean didn’t even bother to look up from the menu when she asked the questions, but the little sparkle tugging at her lips told me she’d noticed more than I wanted her to.

“What guy?” I asked, too quickly, and immediately hated how defensive I sounded.

“You’re blushing, Mom.” She smiled. “The good-looking old guy behind the bar? He’s still eyeing you, by the way.”

I opened my mouth, searching for a denial that would sound convincing, but the server arrived just in time to rescue me, pen poised for our drink order. I latched onto the interruption like it was a life raft.

Once he walked away, Ocean leaned across the table. “Is it okay to order a lobster roll? There’s no price on the menu. I totally get it if it’s out of our budget.”

My chest softened. For all her teenage sass, my daughter could be so thoughtful.

I’d noticed it back at Barb’s store, the way she quietly slipped that outfit back on the rack without a word.

And in California, she rarely asked for money, never complained if I said no.

She just made do with what she had, while her friends lived the kind of teenage lifestyle she could only watch from the sidelines.

“Of course it’s okay,” I said, smiling. “Get whatever you want.”

Having Clare put my name on her account had eased so much of my financial strain. I could cover the cost of her funeral. I could pay Bernie. And I could take my time, really think about what needed to be done with her estate instead of rushing into decisions.

The urgency I’d carried around like a stone in my chest had finally lifted. It was amazing how much lighter life felt. How freeing financial independence could be, not just in my wallet, but in my state of mind.

“Will you split it with me?”

“You can have your own.” I placed my hand over hers. “Seriously, it’s okay.”

The server returned with our drinks, and Ocean rattled off her order while I explained I was waiting for a friend to join us.

The urge to glance over my shoulder, to see if Caleb’s eyes were still on me, pressed hard. Almost unbearable. But I restrained myself. The last thing I wanted was to draw attention—to where I was or the mess of a conversation that might unfold if he and I actually spoke.

Well, he clearly had a different idea of how this meeting was going to unfold.

“Hello, Skye.” His voice, low and familiar, was barely a brush of sound, but it tightened something in my chest. His fingers grazed my shoulder.

I had to keep it together.

“While my boss isn’t watching, can I join you ladies for a second?”

I looked up, and my treasonous stomach flipped. “Caleb. Good to see you. I had no idea you worked here.”

“Small world, isn’t it?” His smile tilted and widened. “Are you going to introduce us?”

“Caleb Reed, my daughter Ocean.”

He leaned down a little and offered his hand like she was the very reason he’d come over. “Ocean? That’s an awesome name. Way cool. Nice to meet you.”

Ocean’s lips curved, trying not to show she was pleased, but I caught the flicker in her eyes.

“May I?” he asked my daughter, motioning to the chair.

“Please,” she said. “So long as you don’t expect me to share my lobster roll with you.”

“I wouldn’t think of it.”

“That’s what they all say.”

He pressed a hand to his chest in mock offense. “You wound me. I’ve never stolen food from anyone in my life.”

Ocean arched a brow. “Uh-huh. Bet the fries tell a different story.”

Caleb chuckled. “Guilty, but only if you ordered the seasoned fries.”

I watched the two of them volley back and forth, their banter effortless.

The ease of it made something twist inside me.

My daughter, sparring with Caleb Reed like they’d known each other forever.

And that wasn’t like her. If anything, Ocean kept herself guarded with people she was meeting for the first time.

“Hey, I’m sorry about your mom,” he said, turning to me. Then he looked at Ocean. “And your grandma.”

Ocean and I nodded in unison, no words ready, nothing that would make the loss any smaller.

For a beat, the air at the table thickened, heavy with everything unsaid. Ocean lowered her gaze to the place settings, tracing the edge of her napkin as if it held the answer. I managed a quiet, “Thank you,” though my voice came out thinner, more fragile, than I wanted it to.

I could already guess what would come next. How long are you staying? What’s going on with you? What’s California like? The usual questions people reached for when they didn’t know what else to say. Or maybe I was just bracing myself, assuming that’s where he’d go.

I decided to steer the conversation before he could. Better to be the one asking than sitting here waiting.

“So,” I said, lifting my eyes to his, “what are you doing in Harbor View?”

“Working. Running half of this place,” he said with a shrug, like it was nothing.

“Weren’t you living in Boston?” I pressed. “Law school? Corporate law?”

His eyebrow ticked up, and I could tell he was pleased I remembered. Maybe even a little flattered.

“That worked for a while. But after Julia died…” He stopped, and for a moment the sadness in his face was unmistakable.

“Your wife?” I asked softly.

“What happened?” Ocean cut in right after me.

“Breast cancer,” he said. His voice was steady, but the weight behind it was impossible to miss. “The twins were four. And when it came, life changed. Our lives, our schedules, everything. Being a corporate lawyer just didn’t work anymore. So, we moved back to Harbor View.”

“I’m so sorry about your wife,” I said.

He nodded, his expression still shadowed with loss.

“Your parents still live here?” I asked, easing the conversation forward.

“Yep. Retired. And enjoying every minute. They help me out when they’re around, but only about six months a year.” He gave me a look. “They’ve turned into snowbirds, splitting their time going back and forth between here and Florida.”

“So how old are your twins now?” Ocean asked.

“Seven. Liam and Layla.” He exhaled, shaking his head. “Let’s just say my neighbors know us as the House of Thuds, Shrieks, and Crashes.”

“Fun age,” I said.

“Yes, if you can keep them alive. At this stage, they’re too much for my parents, and every summer when they’re out of school it’s the same story. Babysitter after babysitter quitting on me because of their antics.” He shifted his gaze to Ocean. “Do you babysit?”

Ocean blinked, then smirked. “Why not? I’m great at teaching kids how to ignore their parents.”

“Well, this must be fate.” He turned to me, eyes lit with sudden hope. “Can I get your number? I can send some times over for Ocean. See if she’s available?”

“Sure, why not?” I said, taking the phone he offered. My fingers hovered for a second longer than necessary before I typed my number into his contacts.

Just then, Ocean’s phone lit up. I didn’t mean to pry, but the screen was angled enough for me to see the name. Dad . My stomach dropped.

She pushed to her feet so fast her chair almost fell over.

“I’m just going to step out for a second to take this,” she said quickly, already turning away.

I watched her hurry off. Rhys and I had already said everything there was to say, but still I was glad he was calling her.

“How’s California treating you?” Caleb asked, once we were alone.

“It’s okay. Life is…hectic. Busy.”

“And being married to a movie star?”

I blinked at him, caught by surprise. “How do you know about my husband?”

“Clare was a regular here,” he said. “You know how people like to open up to bartenders.”

A bittersweet pang hit me. “She always had a soft spot for you.”

“Same here.” He gave me a gentle tap on the back of my hand. “I’m truly sorry for what happened. You were everything to her.”

And I could only imagine what she told him about Rhys. Probably nothing good. Not that she’d have been wrong.

Barb appeared in the doorway with Ocean at her side, and Caleb immediately pushed to his feet.

“I’m so glad you’re in town,” he said, genuine warmth in his voice. “It’s really good to see you. I hope you’ll stay a while.”