10. Galvin

galvin

. . .

G alvin finally had a much-needed day off. After working a series of shifts where she either closed, then opened, or worked doubles, she woke to the bright sun streaming through her windows.

Two days ago, she’d experienced her first hurricane or what Penny called a very windy storm with torrential downpour and light flooding. The diner had been empty, as had been the streets, and the harbor. All boats were moored, and every business shut down except for Carter’s.

The Carters were the epitome of community people. Instead of shuttering their doors and waiting out the storm, they turned the generator on and kept Carter’s open to provide a warm, dry space for people to come and get a hot meal or just escape the storm.

Employees did not have to work. Jack and the two youngest boys, Tidal and Crew, took over, and because Galvin lived upstairs and benefited from having power, she pitched in as well. According to Jack, Dune and Sail were on standby with search and rescue, ready to help as needed. When Galvin heard this, her heart spiked with anxiety. While Sail was off limits romantically, she’d sort of grown fond of his almost daily appearance in her life. And the thought of him being out in the storm unnerved her while also gave her a bit of exhilaration. She pictured him in her mind as a hero and not the guy she wanted to lose her inhibitions with.

Wait, what?

He had given her pause. But not enough to get Sail out of her mind during the storm.

All afternoon and into the early morning, people came and went. They cooked, served food, kept people entertained, and warm, and watched the news for any information on the storm. Galvin met more people than she had in her entire life. Received a marriage proposal, multiple job offers, all of which she turned down. She learned how to cook, taught a couple of kids how to make paper flowers, and laughed.

The next day, everything was back to normal, except for those who had to clean up their yards. The people of Seaport didn’t need to fear though because the Carter men all volunteered to help.

Galvin stepped out onto her porch and lifted her face to the rising sun. It was going to be a nice day, warming up enough to aid in yard cleaning and any repairs that needed to be done around town. She looked out toward the water and swore the tiny specs she saw in the harbor were fishing or sail boats. She couldn’t be sure. The only thing she was sure of, Seaport was bustling.

She walked briskly down the stairs and unlatched the side gate, her private entrance to the courtyard if she didn’t want to walk through the diner. Making sure it was shut tight, she gripped the top of the wood and used it as an anchor to stretch out her calves. It’d been months since she ran, but since her arrival in town, it’d been on her mind.

Galvin finished stretching as she walked to the sidewalk. She looked left toward the waterfront. This would have the most people later in the morning once people woke and started their day. They’d come out, shop, and walk along the esplanade. If she started off to the right, she’d run along the homes, the mansions, and eventually the rocky shored ocean. Galvin sort of liked the idea of running along the pathway while the ocean crashed into the rocks. There would undoubtedly be fishermen standing on the bigger rocks, braving the waves to get their catch.

It didn’t matter which way she’d start because each road connected in some way or the other and she’d circle around, ending at the waterfront, if she didn’t start there.

“Less people now,” she said to no one but herself as she started out.

She’d made the right decision. No one walked the sidewalks this early except others who had the same thought as her, get out and exercise. When she came along a few walkers, Galvin ran on the cobblestone, but quickly hopped back onto the sidewalk until the road switched to pavement. It was hard walking on cobblestone, running on it was near impossible.

The sidewalk curved and stretched out along a park. The Little League field was empty, but the large sign on the fence told people there would be a tournament this coming weekend. Not far from there, a statue of Rochambeau, the French Royal Army officer who aided in the American Revolution. It’s rumored he had a home in Seaport as well, which was now used for one of the colleges. Along with the rumor, it’s been mentioned Rochambeau had the exterior of his home built to look like granite instead of wood since the British forces would burn homes.

People posed in front of the statue, and they turned and rested against the railing meant to keep them from falling into the water and took another photo with Seaport as their backdrop.

Further down, Galvin spotted someone moving a small sailboat into the water. She instantly thought of Sail, probably for no other reason than his name. It’d taken her a few days to get used to the Carter boys unusual names, but they weren’t really that outlandish when since she’d come across some really obscure names in the novels she read. Fans seemed to clamor to those, naming their kids after their favorite characters.

The closer she came to the person putting the boat in the water, more people appeared doing the same thing. An instructor began barking out directions and the whoosh of sails echoed over the bay.

Galvin followed the curve of the sidewalk and took a deep breath. From this point, until she reached the ocean, would be a steady slope. While she knew the incline would do wonders for her calves and ass, the burn would hurt.

With another inhale and a ton of resolve, she kept her pace brisk and steady, breathing in and out as she maneuvered off the sidewalk and onto the dirt path parallel to the road. The smell of brine and sea salt wafted over her before she saw the water. As soon as the houses were behind her, nothing but blue sky greeted her.

Pausing to catch her breath, Galvin gulped in air and took in the breathtaking view. The horizon was clear of boats and ships, stretching out endlessly. Only waves, birds, and the sun filled the vast expanse.

Galvin walked along the rock wall, careful to stay on the grassy side out of fear she might fall over. This was the only place where you couldn’t swim or do any water activities other than fish. Even then, it was at your own risk.

Jagged rocks and hidden drop offs made the area beyond treacherous. Before coming to Seaport, Galvin read about a young man who went missing, carried out to sea by a wave. The ocean was unpredictable. While it was beautiful and majestic, it wasn’t a friendly place.

She sat on the bench and stared. Zoning in and out, with various thoughts running through her mind. Law school, work, the ending balance of her bank account, the cost of books, and Sail. He was the last person or subject she wanted to think about and tried to erase him from her mind, but to no avail. His face, with his dark hair, expressive blue eyes and stupid chiseled jaw line were like a beacon, shining bright and blinding her. Sail hadn’t even done anything to give her the impression he was into her. Sure, he invited her out on his boat, but he probably did that to everyone who worked for his parents. And yes, he showed up at the diner every time she was working, but that was merely happenstance.

Galvin shook her head, clearing her thoughts. Thinking about Sail would get her nowhere. She had a plan and would stick to it. Romance be damned.

If there was even a hint of one.

Her break was over. She stood, stretched, and restarted her run. Thankfully she was back on the sidewalk and would be until she returned home. Cars honked, slowed down, and waited for her to round sharp corners before moving along the side of her. Finally, away from the water, she jogged in place at stoplights, veered down a street, which took her back to the park.

There, she slowed to a jog until she reached the famed Thames Street. One of Seaports first streets, laid out in the mid-sixteen hundreds. Of course, the street name comes from the River Thames in London, but everyone in Seaport pronounced it differently.

This was where everyone shopped, and it was easy to understand why. The street had everything from luxury brands to tourist items. There was every type of restaurant, along with museums and a Greek Orthodox Church.

Galvin walked along the one-way road, stopping in various stores. She bought her dad a Seaport shirt for his birthday and picked up a magnetic notepad for her refrigerator. As soon as she walked into the candy store, her stomach growled. As much as she wanted to relive the day after Halloween or Christmas morning when she was a child, eating fudge for breakfast wasn’t the smartest thing to do. She did, however, buy a caramel apple for later, which the clerk sliced for her.

As soon as she stepped outside, she ran smack dab into Sail. Granted, they didn’t collide, but both stopped short when they saw each other.

He smiled first.

And that was something she’d never forget.

“Good morning,” he said, with his grin stretching from ear-to-ear. “How was your run?”

“How’d you know I was running?”

Sail Carter smirked and gave her a once over. She followed his eyes after the went in for round two.

“Ah,” she said even though she felt about two feet tall for being so abrasive toward him. “It was good. Refreshing.”

“I’m glad to see you’re getting out and away from Carter’s. It’s not good to work all the time.”

“It’s how you make money.”

“I get it.” Sail motioned toward the sidewalk. “Are you heading this way?”

Galvin nodded.

“Mind if I walk with you?”

“Thanks.” She found herself saying even though she her first reaction was to say no. Having Sail as a friend wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

They fell into step next to each other. Sail offered to carry her bags, but when she declined, he put his hands in his pockets.

“So, what do you think of Seaport?”

“I like it,” Galvin said. “You’re right though, I do need to get out more.”

“Where did you run?”

Galvin gave him the route she ran. There was a lot of pointing, turning here and there, with some this and that. She felt horrible for not memorizing the roads or landmarks.

“I’d love to give you a proper tour,” he told her. “There’s a lovely beach not far from the mansions. It’s a bit touristy but the boardwalk there has some amazing shops.” Sail looked up at the sky and then shook his head. “Although, they might be closed since it’s officially Local’s summer.”

“Local’s summer?”

Sail laughed. “It’s what we call our summer since we don’t have to battle the onslaught of tourists. Most go home or stop vacationing by Labor Day, leaving Seaport to the locals. The weather is still nice, most of the kid are back in school, and we can roam the streets, eat in our restaurants, and relax on the beaches without a crowd.”

Galvin nodded slowly in understanding. They stopped at the street corner and waited for the light to change. “You know, I think I’d like that.”

Sail’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes, but I want to be clear about something. Your dad gave me this job as a favor to my dad and I don’t want anything to mess this up for me. I need the money to pay for law school or I won’t be able to go. You scare me. So do your brothers. I’m so afraid I’m going to mess up around you and end up out on my ass . . .”

“Galvin—” Sail interrupted her. “We’re not those kinds of people, and I totally respect what you’re saying.” He held up his hand showing the scouts honor sign.

“Were you a Boy Scout?”

Sail smiled brightly and chuckled. “Not even close, but it’s the best I got right now.”

As they walked across the street, he stayed a smidge behind her, giving her the lead. When they reached the other side, he was next to her again.

“Are you off today?”

She nodded.

“How about we start today?”

“I need to shower.”

Another smile. “It’s a good thing I know this diner where I can wait for you then.”

Sail Carter was a charmer and if she wasn’t careful, he’d charm her right out of her socks. Maybe she should start wearing nylons.

Just to be safe.