Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 72059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
“Oh, okay. Give me a minute.”
Galvin went behind the counter and rang in their order and printed a copy of their receipt. She put it in the booklet and carried it over, pausing halfway to question whether they each needed their own or what. She hadn’t thought to ask.
“I put everything on one ticket. Is that okay?”
“Perfect,” Dune said as he took the black booklet from her, wrote a total, and handed her a credit card.
Anxiety filled her as she carried everything back to the cash register. With Dune’s credit card in her hand, she pulled the receipt and looked at the total at the bottom. Her eyes widened when she saw the tip amount and then she did a double take. He or they had tipped her over one hundred percent, which was more than enough to buy her groceries for the week.
Trying not to call attention to her excitement, she finished the transaction and went back to the table. She set Dune’s card and receipt down in front of him. “Thank you,” she said to all of them. “It was great meeting you.”
“See ya,” Crew and Tidal said.
“If you see me out and about, say hi. We’re all family now,” Dune said as he stood with Tidal following him.
Sail stood as well, followed by Crew. Galvin smiled and headed toward the back, clocking out, and walking toward the backdoor.
“Galvin,” Sail’s voice carried over the din of the kitchen. She turned as he came through the door. “Would you like go to down to the bar for a drink?”
As much as she wanted to say yes, she shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Sail. Have a good night.” Galvin climbed the stairs to her apartment and slipped her key into the lock and turned the knob, fighting the urge to look over the railing at Sail.
sail
. . .
The sun rises over the harbor, not that anyone could see the sun. The thick gray clouds screamed doom and gloom. Fishing vessels motor out of the marina and head toward the ocean. All determined to bring in as much as they could before high winds brought them back to land. Sail looked at the sky and frowned. It was going to rain. It was just a matter of time when the storm would roll in.
After sighing, he walked toward the diner. Last night, he’d asked Galvin to go get a drink with him, only to be shot down. Shot down was probably harsh, but still she told him no. Not many told him no and it caught him off guard. He didn’t have a handy retort for the rejection and stood there in the courtyard looking at her apartment door, expecting her to return and tell him she was joking.
She hadn’t.
He’d met his brothers outside and endured relentless teasing about the schoolboy crush he had on the new waitress. Most of the ribbing came from Tidal and Crew. Dune was far to mature—and annoyed—to engage with his brothers.
Sail opened the door to the diner minutes after his cousin Penny unlocked the door. The bell chimed and he called out. “It’s just me, Penny.”
Only, it wasn’t Penny who came out of the kitchen, it was Galvin. She yawned as their gazes met and she quickly closed her mouth.
Galvin looked tired, but gorgeous. Sail, in fact, had a crush on her. Even though he knew he should stay far away from her. Someone like her didn’t need the baggage he came with.
“Morning,” he said as he sat down at the counter. “I didn’t expect to see you here this morning.” He’d hoped though, which was why he was there instead of eating breakfast with his parents and brothers. Never mind, his father hadn’t looked at him much since he’d come clean about screwing up at school. The tension at home was his fault and the less time he spent there when everyone was awake was for the better.
“Do you ever eat at home?”
Her question caught him off guard. Was she sick of seeing him? He hoped not and nodded slowly. “Yes. My mom is a very good cook.” Sail had no idea why he offered the last bit of information.
“Do you cook?”
Sail started to shake his head but stopped. “I can cook, but I don’t. I lived in a frat house, and no one really cooks. We just fend for ourselves or eat at one of the places on campus.”
She eyed him. Was she suspicious of him? Or just tired.
Tired, definitely.
“Coffee?”
“No, thanks.”
“Do you mind if I have some?” Galvin poured herself a cup, added cream, sugar, and took a drink. Sail stared, watching her close her eyes as the warm liquid trailed down her throat. He was jealous of the coffee and the mug she held tightly between her hands.