BRADEN
I stoodbehind the portable bar and poured another pint of Reef Saver IPA, trying to process what I was witnessing. Driftwood Beach wasbuzzing. The fundraiser was a hit.
No, scratch that.
It was more than a hit. It was a phenomenon. Everywhere I looked, the beach teemed with life. Families sprawled on blankets, kids chased each other near the shoreline, and locals mingled with tourists at the vendor trucks lining the access road. The smell of wood smoke from the bonfire pits mixed with salt air and fried conch fritters. Someone had strung café lights between the palms, even though it was still afternoon, and a local band played acoustic covers near the water’s edge. Their stripped-down, acoustic rendition ofSutton Vale’s monster hit “Neon Heart”drifted over the crowd.Even I had to admit, without the synthesizers, the song actually had good bones.
I couldn’t help the grin spreading across my face. Thiswas exactly what Tessa had envisioned when she pitched the idea. I handed off the pint to a sunburned tourist wearing a “Save the Reef” T-shirt we’d printed for the event and scanned the crowd for her. It didn’t take long to find her. She was impossible to miss.
Tessa stood near the interactive reef display she’d set up with Kaia and Zane—several touch-screen tables spaced out on a table and showing real-time data from their research sites. She crouched down, eye-level with Finn, pointing at something on the screen. Chase and Harper were there too, with Chase absently holding the handle of a double stroller as he examined the next tablet over. Tessa’s dark-red hair caught the sunlight, and animation lit up her face. Finn’s mouth formed anOof wonder, and Tessa laughed, ruffling his hair.
A sharp pang went through me, centered on my heart. She looked like she belonged here. Not just at this event, but in this town. With these people. With my family. With me.
“Hey, golden boy, you gonna pour that or just stare at your girlfriend all afternoon?”
I blinked as Maria hip-checked me away from the tap. She grabbed the empty glass I’d been holding and started filling it herself.
“I wasn’t staring.”
“Right. And I’m not about to drink this beer myself because you’re useless today.” She tipped me a wink and grinned.
I shook my head but couldn’t muster any real annoyance. Maria had been riding me hard about Tessa since the day she walked back into my life, and now that we were officially together—publicly—she’d only gotten worse.
“Go,” Maria said, waving me off. “I’ve got the bar.You’ve been back here for two hours. Go be the proud host or whatever.”
She was already turning to the next customer, so I stepped out from behind the portable bar and into the fray. The energy hit me immediately. Everywhere I turned, someone stopped me to shake my hand, compliment the beer, or ask questions about the conservation center. Gus Davis, the contractor who’d been working on these islands since before I was born and one of my regulars, clapped me on the shoulder hard enough to rattle my teeth.
“This is an amazing event, Coleridge.” His dark face split in a grin. “That lady of yours knows her stuff. Been fishing these reefs for fifty years, and I never knew half of what she just told me.”
“She’s pretty incredible,” I said, and the understatement made me laugh.
He moved off, and I continued weaving through the crowd, the vibe of the event humming in my veins. Nearby, the Dove Key Fire Department had a small setup, and Ben was handing a pamphlet on rip currents to a tourist while patiently explaining something. I was struck by how different he looked. The old tension in his shoulders was gone, replaced by steady confidence. When he finished, he saw me and broke into an easy grin.
“You’re in a good mood,” I said after walking over. “Figured you’d be hiding from the crowds.”
“Nah. It’s good to be out here.” He gestured at the scene. “This is a hell of a thing you two put together.”
“Thanks, man. It’s a lot, but it turned out pretty damn well.”
“Understatement, little brother.” He made a bow. “I also happen to be in a good mood because I aced my midterms.”
My smile stretched wider. “No shit? Ben, that’s huge.”
“Home stretch now.” A current of pride ran through his voice. “Not much longer until I’m ready to take the certification exam.”
“We are definitely celebrating that.” I clapped him on the shoulder. “The whole family.”
His gaze drifted over my shoulder toward the interactive display where Tessa was laughing with a group of kids. He shifted his gaze back at me, his expression clear and sincere. “I wasn’t sure at first, but she’s good for you. You look happy.”
Fueled by the success of the day and my brother’s approval, the last of my guard crumbled away. “Things are going great. Better than old times for sure.”
A mom with a sunburned toddler in tow approached the booth, asking about sunscreen. Ben turned to help her, shifting seamlessly into his calm, professional demeanor. I gave him a final nod and moved on, the warmth of his words settling deep in my gut right next to the brilliant certainty beginning to take root.
I spotted Austin and Eli near one of the bonfire pits, deep in conversation with a group of local fishermen. Brenna was at the book table she’d set up, selling marine biology guides and kid-friendly reef books from her shop. Even Mom was here, sitting under one of the pop-up tents with a few other resort staff.
They were all here. My entire family, supporting this project like it was their own.
Supporting Tessa like she was one of us.
