Page 5 of Beautiful Crazy
Three
Everett
“So, how you liking Blossom Beach?” Charley, the front desk girl at Serendipity, asks with an armful of plates and silverware. If I had to guess, I’d say she’s probably around thirty, and she’s quite chatty. Not that I mind.
A grin spreads on my face. “Probably too soon to tell for sure, but I like it here so far. It’ll be better once I’m settled in an actual house, though.”
“You mean, living in an inn isn’t ideal for you?” Her eyes brighten with a playful smile.
“Well, I don’t know. Having breakfast prepared for me every morningisa pretty sweet perk.”
Chuckling, she asks, “What did you do before moving here?”
“I’m an elementary school teacher.”
“Oh, that’s so cool!” She disappears into the back, coming out a moment later, the plates and silverware gone,and a wet rag in her hand as she starts wiping down a table across from mine. “Are you continuing to teach here, or do you have a different plan?”
I nod. “I’m going to teach. I got a job at the school up the road. What about you?” I ask. “Are you from here?”
“Born and raised.” Her warm expression makes me think that’s a good thing.
Charley disappears into the back again as I finish the rest of my breakfast. I finally have a meeting with my grandma’s lawyer in a couple of hours. We were supposed to meet earlier this week, but he came down with the flu and had to reschedule. Thankfully, this place had availability, and I extended my stay.
I had to go down to the school and fill out a bunch of new hire paperwork on Monday, and get my fingerprints taken care of because those usually take a couple of weeks to clear. Thankfully, they were able to put a rush on it since school starts soon. Aside from making it to the beach last week and the coffee shop in the mornings, I haven’t done much exploring of this little town. I’m hoping to this weekend. It’s a change from Seattle, to say the least. I think it’s going to take me quite a while to get used to it, but I can see myself loving it here.
Something catches my attention out of the corner of my eye, and when I look out the window, I see Gemma sitting out on the patio, typing away on her laptop in the same way I’ve seen her do every single morning this week—except for today, obviously—at The Morning Vibe, the coffee shop down the street. She has a to-go cup with their logo on it beside her laptop, though, so she must’ve gone there earlier. But what is she doinghere?
“Hey.” I glance over at where Charley just walked back into the dining room. “Do you know her?”
“Who, Gemma?” she asks, coming to a stop beside me. “Of course, I do. Everyone here does. Why?”
“I’ve seen her at the coffee shop every morning this week.” I don’t know why I leave out the part about us meeting at the beach, but something about that story feels personal. Like I want to keep it for myself. No matter how brief it was, it felt good. It’s something I’ve thought of more than a few times in the past week. “How’d she get out there? Isn’t it blocked off to the public?”
I sound like a creep to my own ears, but there’s something about this woman that has me intrigued.
“It is, but her brother, Graham, works in the kitchen here,” she explains. “Gemma comes here to work sometimes, usually when it’s a nice day.”
“Is she married?” I find myself asking before I can stop myself.
God, I’m being nosy.I don’t recall seeing a ring on her finger, but I also don’t think I ever looked. I suppose she could’ve.
“Nope, she isn’t,” Charley chirps, a knowing smile on her face, clearly not finding my line of questioning odd.
After I finish eating, I head up to my room to shower and get ready for the meeting with the lawyer. When I pass by the window again on my way out, I eye her still sitting out there. I wonder what she does for a living. She’s always typing away intently on her keyboard, and she always looks so focused.
I can’t put my finger on what it is, but something about her makes me want to know more about her. And it goesbeyond the fact that I think she’s an incredibly attractive woman… because yes, she is, but it isn’t just that. I want to get to know her, and I’ve felt that way from the moment I laid eyes on her at the pier. It’s the weirdest feeling, one I can’t explain, and that’s driving me nuts.
At about noon, finished with my meeting with the house keys in hand, I decide to run over to the coffee shop and pick me up a refill and a bagel. After going back and forth with myself, I double the order, on the off chance that Gemma is still at the inn when I return. Back at Serendipity, I attempt to go out onto the patio a few times, each time talking myself out of it. Because it’s weird, right? How we keep running into each other? I don’t want to seem like a weirdo.
“God, just fucking do it, Everett,” I hiss to myself.
Blowing out a breath, I finally head out there. She glances over her shoulder as soon as the door closes, surprise blooming on her face as our eyes meet.
“We have got to stop running into each other like this,” I tease, setting down the drinks and the bag of food on the table before pulling out the chair across from her.
“Hi, Everett,” she says with a warm smile. Today, she has on a black-and-white polka dot dress, with a white cardigan over the top. Her dark blonde hair is pulled out of her face into a braid that drapes over one of her shoulders. She looks fucking stunning. “What are you doing here?”
“I’ve been staying here while I get situated in town, but I’m checking out today. House is finally ready.” Sipping my coffee, I take her in. Her deep brown eyes shimmer under the sun, and the freckles I noticed on the first day we met at the pier appear darker today, probably from spendingthe last several hours outside. Her nails are painted a light blue color that matches the keyboard cover she’s got on her laptop. My eyes can’t help but notice how sexy her breasts look pressed together in that dress…Fuck, get it together, man.