Page 9 of Hometown Harbor 3
April had hung up with Greg and had just restarted the nap she had been trying to sneak in.
After dinner, Kylen went for a run on the beach while April caught up with Carmine before he went back to the house. They had an early match on the beach that required him to have a good night’s sleep.
“Good dinner, especially since you put it together so quickly,” Carmine said. He sat close to April on the outdoor sofa.
“There are a few other chairs if you’d like more room. I know you’ve been trapped in a car all afternoon,” April said.
“I’m right where I want to be. Have you had time to think about how we move forward?”
“Well, not really. I worked a day and then got caught up with Tabitha’s heartbreak recovery, which is admirable. Next was Mel and her marriage concerns, which I doubt are any problem at all, and finally, I napped, cooked, and missed you. I don’t like thinking of eventualities. The future makes me nervous, and the truth is, I don’t have much experience with this.”
“You’re fifty, and I’m sure you have a lot of experience,” Carmine said. “I sense that I’m moving too fast, and I am, but with you, I can’t help it. I just really don’t want this to slip through my fingers. I used to think winning an Olympic medal was all I needed to be happy, but now I know how trivial that was. I love you, April, and I love your kid.”
April froze. Those words were tough for her to say because she had only reserved love for Kylen. It was safe to love her own child, but sharing that emotion with someone else was risky. She tilted her head. “You’re overwhelming me right now, and I need a day or two to catch up with you. I think what you’re asking is for me to make drastic changes in my life, and I’m not sure I’m ready for that yet.”
“Are you trying to let me down lightly, or are you going to think about taking this beyond the summer?”
April took his perfectly chiseled face in her hands. “I’m scared because whatever is happening between us has never happened to me. It’s so special that I don’t want to risk ruining it. Do you understand?”
“I don’t like being put on ice, but I understand. I had this vision of you jumping in my arms and declaring your love for me.”
“Twenty-five years ago, I would have, but now I have to be more deliberate with my decisions. Kylen is going to kill me for not immediately coming up with a plan for us to be together, isn’t he?”
“Probably. You know kids. They don’t think of logistics. Kylen had everything planned out. If you need me to sit down with him, I will.”
“I’ve got it. I’ll walk you home along the beach,” April said.
April knew better than to make snap decisions. She made one with Kylen’s birth father when she moved in with him. That lasted two days, and she left with Kylen in her belly, which was a split decision that was the best thing she’d ever done. He raised a hand to her and would have landed a punch, but she grabbed his forearm. Self-defense classes came in handy, and she never looked back. If there was an opposite of that, it was Carmine. He’d cut off his arm, which he used for a living, rather than hit her. Kylen sensed that about him, too, because he had a true protector’s instinct.
7
Deenie sat at the counter as Dalton waited tables at the Dirty Dozen Restaurant in Melbourne Beach. He looked a lot like his Uncle Marcus, although he was a younger version, of course. He was handsome, had excellent manners, and was a lot of fun. Deenie found men his age were usually into partying and hanging out. Dalton was more into adventures and risk-taking. He was the type to sky dive, base jump, and partake in underwater exploration. Deenie wasn’t sure she would do all those things, but she might if Dalton was by her side.
He poured her coffee and leaned over to whisper in her ear. “Hello, girlfriend.” He winked.
She giggled. “I’ll have the short stack with a side of fruit, please, boyfriend.”
It was old school to swap titles like that, but it mattered to Deenie that he officially asked her to be his boyfriend. It was a bit of a joke, but she wanted people in Melbourne Beach to know that Dalton was taken.
“I get off in about fifteen minutes, “Dalton said as he delivered her breakfast. “I was the first one in, and I’ll be the first to clock out.”
“Are we still going jet skiing?” Deenie asked. She had been once with her father, but they didn’t go fast, which she was sure Dalton would do.
Dalton checked out, and they went to Marcus’ place so he could shower first.
“Is Kylen coming?” Dalton asked.
“No. He’s going the volleyball route again today. The more he shows up as a sub, the more of a chance he has for playing time. It’s a little like being on the practice squad, but he’s cool with that. I thought Kylen and I would spend all our time together this summer, but we both found different things that we liked more than hanging out.”
“Lucky for me. Did you talk to your mom about spending the whole summer here?” Dalton said. “Maybe you can go to Texas for a week and then return.”
“That would be ideal, but I’m worried about my dad being lonely,” Deenie said. “I threw the question of staying the summer in at the end of an emotional conversation my mom and I were having. She said no. Worst case scenario is I have to go to Houston, and then I’ll have to rely on visits to Tallahassee.”
“That’ll be sick. We can go to football games – Go Noles and I already know so many people who go there. FSU is a party school, and I plan to take advantage of that reputation.”
“You aren’t the party type,” Deenie commented.
“There’s too much to do in Melbourne Beach. I can party with the best when it’s happening all around me,” Dalton said. “You look concerned. Don’t worry because I’ll watch myself when you’re there. Do you think your dad will get you a car?”