Page 71 of At First Catch

Hadley

Also, your employees are currently trying to feed Rook funnel cake.

I blink.

Me

Why is the dog at the marina?

Hadley

Because he likes you better now.

The warmth that spreads through me at those words feels deeply unfair.

Me

That feels disloyal to Holt.

Hadley

He’ll survive.

Another pause.

Hadley

Probably.

I chuckle again as I tuck my phone back into my pocket. I already know it won’t stay there long before she texts again. Somewhere along the way, waiting to hear from Hadley stopped feeling unusual.

I grab the coffee and step outside before I can think too hard about that.

The marina stretches bright and alive beneath the morning sun. More locals have started filtering through now that repair work is visibly progressing. A few tourists wander near the slips, taking photos while charter captains prep boats farther down the dock.

And right near the fuel station—there she is.

Hadley stands beside Rook, talking to Mrs. Henderson, while the wind moves through her loose, dark hair. She’s wearing denim shorts again today and one of those oversized sweatshirts that make my brain stop functioning properly.

Rook spots me first. His tail starts wagging as if he’d been playing a personal game of hide-and-seek against me and had won.

Then Hadley turns, and the harsh lines around her eyes melt away like snow in the sun as she sees me.

The second she sees me, she smiles. Not the polite smile she gives tourists. Not the easy one she gives Walter. This one’s smaller. Quieter. I know it’s mine.

Mrs. Henderson notices me next.

“Oh good,” she announces loudly. “Your marina man is here.”

Hadley visibly chokes on air as I stop walking.

“Your what?” I ask carefully.

Mrs. Henderson waves a dismissive hand. “You own the marina. It makes sense.”

Beside her, Hadley looks seconds away from throwing herself into the bay as she groans. I open my mouth to deny it, but nothing comes out. Which is probably answer enough.

Mrs. Henderson eventually wanders off after reminding me to “fix the ugly dock lights before tourist season.”