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“Daniel!” I stand up to greet him. “It’s nice to finally meet in person.”
“Finally?” he says, a little puzzled. “We just matched an hour ago.”
“Right!” I clutch my cider, forcing myself to give him a beatific smile. “Sorry, I’m a little nervous.”
He waves his hand. “Don’t be. We’re all just humans, you know? Feeling each other’s vibes. We’re all just checking for another soul on the same frequency.”
“Ha ha! Yeah. Definitely.”
Daniel slouches into his seat and looks around the dining room. “It’s dead in here, huh?”
“It’s early on a Thursday night, so most people are just picking up to-go orders.”
“You think? Seems weird. Why wouldn’t people be out partying?”
His tossed-off question gives me pause.
“Well, the sun is still up. Most people aren’t in party mode yet. And tomorrow is Friday. I think people have work in the morning.”
He scrunches up his face like this is the first time he’s ever considered the matter. “Could be.”
The waitress comes by the table and Daniel orders a rum and coke. Then he stretches out like he owns the place.
“It’s like… super nice in here. I’ve never been here before.”
“I was just going to ask if you’re from South Shore. But from your comment, I take it you’re not.”
“I don’t claim any one place as my home. I like to think I’m a citizen of the world.”
We get a fresh round of drinks and I smile at Daniel.
“Where do you live, though?”
He jerks his thumb over his shoulder. “I take my home with me wherever I go. I’ve got a pretty sweet van that’s got a mattress in the back. Or I stay with friends when they offer. I live a really environmentally friendly, ethically clean lifestyle. Just me, my van, my guitar, and the beach. Hashtag Salt Life, you know?”
My eyebrows rise. “So you’re just passing through South Shore?”
He gives me a wide grin. “I got a flat tire near here a few days ago. So I’ve just been waiting for a sign from the universe telling me where to go next.”
I clear my throat. “What kind of a sign?”
“Like if someone gives me a new tire for my van, I’ll know that I should move on. Or like last year. I had a dream about giant turtles. So I went up the coast to Shelbyville, because that’s where the universe wanted me to go.”
I squint. “I don’t understand the connection between your dream and the city.”
“Shelbyville. Shell. Giant turtle.” He takes a long drink of his rum and coke. “You have to really listen to the vibrations that the universe puts out there. Maybe you don’t get it.”
I give him a stiff smile. “Maybe not. But you think that you could be in South Shore for a while?”
Daniel shrugs. “We’ll see. Maybe later you’ll invite me to stay for a few days or a few weeks.” He grins. “In exchange, I can teach you some guitar basics. Or maybe you like massages? I give good massages.”
I am pretty sure my cheeks are scarlet by the time the waitress drops by again. “Y’all interested in some food?”
“God, I’m starving.” Daniel plucks a menu from the table and purses his lips. “I want an extra large. All the meats, all the veggies. I need an order of breadsticks. And let’s see….” He flips the menu over. “Maybe add a slice of carrot cake, too.”
My eyes widen. The waitress looks unsurprised and just jots his order down,
“I don’t really eat a ton of meat. So I’ll just have a slice of your vegetarian pie of the day and a small side salad.”
