Page 69 of Fish Out of Water

“Then that’s all there is to it, Jake.”

Jake straightened up. “I guess I’ll go before you kick me out.”

“I wouldn’t do that.” Robbie took another canvas bag out. “Here, you take one too. I’m serious when I say that we have too many. Curiously enough, people don’t like carting around a bag with the nameEatonon it around here.”

“And you think I won’t mind?”

“You didn’t have any trouble getting cozy with the family name last night.”

“Shut up and give me the bag.” Jake snatched it from him, folding it up logo-side in. “I’ll use it to stuff my dirty laundry in when I need to carry it to the washer.”

“You do that. In fact, throw the bagin the wash, too. Maybe the name will come off and you won’t have to think about me every time you see it.”

“It’s too late for that.” Jake made his way to the door, stopping just before he pushed it open. “You still going to the beach this evening?”

“Of course. No repeat of last week, though.”

“Not even in your dreams.”

Another customer walked up to the door, and Jake hurried out of the way to let them in before he and Robbie could properly wrap up their conversation. He still had the beach, though, and for the first time since he began doing it, he was looking forward to working alongside Robbie.

As soon as Jake got home that evening, Isabel handed him her notepad with a message written neatly on it. “What is this?” he asked.

“The realtor called today. I told him to talk to you. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, that’s what I’m here for.” Jake set the notepad back down and dropped onto the couch. “I hope it goes quickly once we list it. I wanna get out of here before winter.”

“Don’t get your hopes too high, dear.” Isabel joined him on the couch, setting two cups of tea down on the coffee table. “How did your volunteering go at the beach today?”

“Fine.”

“You are Robbie are doing all right?”

“We’re fine, Aunt Isabel. There’s nothing going on between us, I promise.” He sat up straighter, taking a sip of the tea. It was still too hot to drink, and it scalded his tongue and throat as it went down. “We’re just friends.” His tongue was still numb from the fresh burn when he spoke, and the words came out funny. “The sea was a little choppy today, though. It made it tough to work.”

“Really?” Isabel looked more concerned by this news than Jake had expected.

“Yeah, well, maybe there’s a storm in the forecast.”

“There shouldn’t be. It was all clear last week.”

“I doubt it’s anything to worry about.”

“You don’t know Mier like this town does.”

Jake rolled his eyes. “I’m sure Mier is just fine. It’s not like it’s a warning message, right?” He chuckled. “Right, Aunt Isabel?”

“Yes, I’m sure everything is fine, just as you say.” Isabel smiled, picked up her teacup, and got up from the couch, leaving Jake alone to stew in his many, many thoughts. If one thing had become excruciatingly clear to him over the passing hours, it was that he was not going to be able to break the rules and get away with it.

18

KEEPING SECRETS

Alittle over two months after his first day of volunteering, Jake returned to the town hall. He brought all his paperwork with him, each hour signed off by Robbie Eaton himself.

Sarah, the same woman who had once assured him the time would fly by, smiled when she saw him walk in.

“Congratulations,” she told him as he handed his documents over. “You did great work at the beach. The town is going to miss your help.”