Page 76 of Fish Out of Water

“Hey,” he called so as not to scare Robbie as he gazed out at the sea.

“Oh, hey,” Robbie said, looking back. His eyes had a faraway glaze to them, but they cleared up as Jake walked closer. “How did the meeting with the realtor go?”

“You remembered that was today?”

“Of course.”

“Eh, it went fine.” Jake swatted his hand limply through the air. “The man’s a total prick, but he gets that Isabel’s not going to play his little games now, at least.”

“A prick in what way?” Robbie asked. “I mean, a prick by your standards, or actually obnoxious?”

“He’s plenty obnoxious,” Jake said. “You’d hate him too. He wanted Aunt Isabel to change the bathroom to make it more palatable.”

“The ocean bathroom?”

“The one and only.”

“No.” Robbie pulled back, his mouth agape.

“Oh, yeah. Like I said, he’s a prick.”

“At least you were there to back her up.”

“Honestly, Isabel doesn’t need backing up, but I’m glad I was there too. I get the feeling he’s the kind of guy who has trouble listening to women until another man defends them. I’m stillhalf-tempted to call the other realtor we were considering, but I think Isabel’s committed now. She doesn’t wanna prolong the inevitable any more than she has to.”

“It really is happening, isn’t it?” Robbie asked.

“Sure is, Robbie. Before you know it, I’ll be out of your hair.”

“Nothing more than a memory, eh?”

“A good memory, I hope.”

Robbie smiled softly. “I wish you didn’t have to go so quickly.”

“Come on, Robbie, it’s not quick. I’ll have been here for almost six months if I leave when I’m hoping to.”

“It just won’t be the same without you.”

“What, volunteering?”

“Everything.”

Jake looked down at the sand. A little sand crab crawled across the ground, nearly hitting his shoes before correcting course and going around. Its grayish brown shell gleamed in the setting sun before it burrowed back under the sand, disappearing entirely. Jake was left staring at nothing at all.

“I have to leave,” he said quietly. “It was never the plan to stay here, and after my aunt sells the house…”

“I know.” Robbie reached out a hand, taking Jake’s in his. His palm was warm in the cool evening breeze, and Jake realized only now just how cold his own hand had grown since he got out of the car. They were safe here—safe from prying eyes, from the world outside that they were trying to avoid. Robbie could be himself, and Jake…

“You’ve changed me,” he told Robbie. “I hate to admit it, but I’m not the same guy that I was a few months ago.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Robbie asked, his fingers tightening around Jake’s hand. If it were up to Jake, he would never let go, and Robbie seemed to sense that as they stood there together.

“I don’t think so.” Jake finally looked up. He searched Robbie’s face for any indication that this revelation was news to him too, but after the last couple of months, he was pretty sure Robbie had noticed the changes well before Jake was ever ready to. “I’ve never been more comfortable with anyone else in my life. I don’t know why, but you’re different.”

“I’m different.” Robbie smiled, but he shook his head. “I’m just an average, selfish guy, Jake. I like you because I like how you make me feel, and I want you to stick around because I’m not ready to lose that. We’re not meant to be together forever, you and I, and that’s okay. It’s what you want anyway.”

“Yeah, it is.” Jake was painfully aware of how hollow those words rang as he said them, but Robbie didn’t call him out. What good would it do? They couldn’t be anything beyond what they already were. That, apart from everything else, hadn’t changed one bit.