“June—”
“Give me ten minutes. If not, I’ll call a temp agency. But I promise, this is all going to be fine, Graham.”
I look at her skeptically, my anxiety not fully quelled, not when there’s so much that could still go wrong.
“Do you trust me?”
The truth is, yes.
I trust June. I not only trust her with my career and what might be the most pivotal day in it, but I trust June Taylor with a whole lot more—like my heart.
“Yeah, June,” I say low, stepping closer to her and pulling her into me. And when a wide, happy, beaming grin spreads across her face, I know it was the right choice.
Somehow, in four hours, June pulls it off.
I don’t really understand how or why all of these people came to help, but they did. They dropped everything—Lainey and Benny and Miles and Mrs. Miller—all closing their own businesses for a bit to come, none of them expecting anything in return. However, I did inform June that, for safety and legal reasons, they would need to go through the quick process of being temporary hires for the day and would be paid accordingly. Strangely, everyone she pulled in tried to argue that fact, but Sutton reluctantly informed them it was procedure and unavoidable.
Every position is manned and then some, with June and Sutton running from zone to zone to go over quick protocols for each location.
Claire manages the beach aspect, bringing one of the Rec department’s lifeguards with her. Lainey and Benny work as bartenders. Jonah and Decker handle the kids’ club, Mrs. Miller mans the gift shop, and Grant, Sutton, and Miles help out wherever else we need. Claire and Sutton somehow even convinced their brother and his wife to help, since they were staying with Miles and Claire for the weekend.
Somehow, some way, the day is a success.
When the Mayor comes with his big scissors, June smiles, schmoozes him like a pro, and sets up the perfect shots for social media. Mayor Mosely insists I be in a few photos, and after two with just us, I pull June in, knowing she is the only reason this entire day wasn’t a complete dumpster fire.
I’ve witnessed many opening-day catastrophes and employee issues. This is not the first time a large number of employees have gotten sick at the same time, though it’s the first time this has happened on opening day. But thisisthe first time it’s been resolved quickly, purely because people wanted to help out.
It’s that Seaside Point magic at work once more.
It’s after dinner when I finally let myself take in a deep breath. People are enjoying a meal on the deck or the beach, and Claire and her lifeguard are about to pack it in for the day. The second round of employees for the evening shift are here, as are a few who were sick but felt well enough to come in, though we told them they didn’t have to.
It seems June is once again correct in that loyalty runs deep in this town.
They all want to help out, to see this place succeed. It’s such a stark difference to the way I felt when I first arrived here, when all the locals murmured that this place was bad for the town, wasjust a cash grab that was going to hurt the locals. Now, just like June, they want it to succeed. June was right when she said we needed to get more involved in the town.
She must feel me watching her where she’s running some crafts with the kids, because her head lifts, turning in my direction. When she sees me, she winks. I smile back, and her eyes go soft, but a kid runs at her, grabbing her hand and dragging her off before she can make her way to me. I watch her get pulled away laughing, completely enamored by her.
It sinks in fully then: I don’t want to leave.
Ever.
I don’t want to leave June or, strangely enough, Seaside Point. For the first time in my life, I belong somewhere and have this strange urge to root myself.
I want to spend every morning waking with June in my bed, and to go to bed every night hearing the waves crashing on the shore. I want to stay in Seaside Point for as long as this little town will have me.
I don’t know what it means for my career or how Rowan will react to the news when he comes next week, but I know in my gut it’s the right choice. If I have to take a lower salary, commute to Hudson City, or find a new job altogether, I will.
I’m still mulling over this revelation, lost in my thoughts, when someone calling my name snaps me out of it. Decker and Grant are standing beside me, smiles on their faces. I wonder how long they’ve been there, watching me.
“Come on, have a beer with us,” Decker says, tipping his head toward the bar where Lainey is laughing with a guest.
Surprising as it is, I don’t want to leave this, either.
I wouldn’t call these people my friends, but they’re slowly becoming something more than mere acquaintances, even if Grant always looks at me with a healthy dose of skepticism. My night at the Seabreeze was enjoyable, and when we spentthe afternoon at the bay, I liked chatting with the guys who consider themselves part of her crew, talking about nothing in particular. I don’t think I’ve ever hung out with a group, talking about random shit without the conversation inevitably veering to work, opportunities, and, of course, as June loves to bring up, networking.
No one in Seaside Point seems to actuallywantanything from me,
Except for June, who, even if she won’t say it just yet, I know wants everything.
