Chapter 5

 

 

“MOTHER, I’M fine,” William said, having called her once he was alone in his room. The rest of the house was quiet. “They’ll get me another car as soon as they can.”

“Your father is upset that you’re missing the meeting. He was counting on you.”

“He can handle whatever is needed. It isn’t like I can do anything about it. There was a hurricane. Even you have to admit that they’re outside Westmoreland control.”

“Don’t be smart. Your father needed you, and if you hadn’t insisted on taking a few days to go fishing, you’d be there with him instead of stuck in that backwater town you love so much. If you’re to take over the business eventually, you need to take more of an interest.”

William rolled his eyes. He’d heard this speech more times than he could count. But this time, he’d had enough. “I also deserve a life of my own, and I’ll have one away from the family, the business, and if necessary, you.” William knew that would get her goat. When his mother got on a tear, she could be worse than a shark at feeding time.

She scoffed. “It’s time you gave up this foolishness and carried on the family business. We have a long tradition and history to maintain, and as the eldest, it falls to you to see that it’s—”

Something inside him snapped. Maybe spending so much time with Mike, and seeing just how his life could be, made his mother’s usual heavy-handedness even more jarring than usual. Resentments formed deep inside, some he didn’t even know he was harboring, roared to the surface. “Forget it,” William snapped. “Whatever you think this family loyalty, honor, and duty is, I don’t agree. I have a right to lead my own life, and I will. If that means that once you and Dad are gone, I sell off the company piece by piece and move to some island and spend the rest of my life there, I’ll do it.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Then don’t push me. I won’t live the life you and Dad want me to. I’ve tried to make that plain enough to you before, and I meant it. So whatever you’re thinking about marriage and all other aspects of my life, you can forget it.”

“How dare you—”

“What? Talk to you like that? Mom, you abdicated most of your parental responsibilities to nannies and boarding schools. Don’t expect that either I or my sister is going to have a huge amount of love and affection for you.” He really didn’t. Until he was an adult, his mother had been someone he saw a few weeks a year during school breaks. As a kid, he’d worked hard to try to get her attention, and once he’d realized it was futile, he wrote her off and out of his life. The only reason he was closer to his father was because they worked together. “Now, like I said, I’m here until I can arrange transportation out. I’ll touch base with Dad first thing in the morning, and then I’ll be inaccessible for the rest of the day.”

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going fishing,” William answered, turning toward the door of his room, thinking of Mike.

“You did that already,” she huffed.

“I’m here and there’s no power or Internet, so I’m going to make the most of it.” The very most he possibly could.

“You spend too much time playing and not enough time working.”

God, she just wasn’t going to let it go.

“Actually, I don’t. I come down here twice a year and pretty much work the rest of it. And considering you haven’t worked a day in twenty-five years, I don’t think you’re one to talk,” he said, coming to the very end of his patience.

What he got in response was silence. He groaned and sat down on the side of the bed to wait her out. When bluster and strength didn’t get her what she wanted, his mother often resorted to guilt and the silent treatment, which was just fine with him. Guilt he didn’t do very well, and the silent treatment…. Well, quiet was much preferable to her usual constant talking.

“Are you there? Because if not I’m going to bed.”

“I raised you to respect your father and me.”

William said nothing, even though it was on the tip of his tongue to inform her that respect was earned, and not at whatever charity event she happened to be attending on any given night. He believed in helping others, but not by throwing fancy parties where the wealthy and well connected of Providence and Newport society could gather, talk, network, and, of course, gossip. “I need to go to bed. It’s been a long day, and the power is out so it’s still pretty hot here. I’ll talk to Dad in the morning.”

“Fine. I have to get going anyway….”

William said good night and ended the call. Then he stripped down and lay on top of the covers, willing some sort of breeze through the windows as he wondered if Mike was doing the exact same thing. Excitement built and William let his hands wander until he remembered where he was, and instantly the thrill was gone. He chuckled as he imagined all the pink around him, the dolls, Carrie’s various toys. He put his hands behind his head, closed his eyes, and tried not to think of Mike. It was a difficult proposition.

 

 

WILLIAM WAS up as soon as he heard movement in the house. He dressed in borrowed clothes and joined Mike in the kitchen, where he was poured a cup of coffee.

“We’ll need to get whatever we can take with us for the day,” Mike said softly. “I have a message that parts of Apalachicola have power, so we should be able to get enough ice to keep things cold and take care of the fish.”

“What about the rest of what we already caught? I forgot to ask the other day, with the storm and all.”

“Mom cleaned and froze it. I know it’s not the best, but it’s what we could do.” Mike got a cooler together, and William gathered what was still salvageable from what he had, and they loaded it into the truck and headed to town.

The sun wasn’t close to up, and William leaned back and closed his eyes to get a few minutes of extra sleep. Once the truck stopped, William pried his eyes open, yawning as he helped Mike unload and carry their things to the boat.

“I was able to get ice,” Gordon said as he hoisted a cooler on board and began preparing the fish station. “I also got the bait we’re going to need, thought it was a little hard to find. It’s no longer frozen, but we’re going to use it right away.”

“What happened?”

“Gene’s lost their freezers. They kept the doors closed, which kept the bait for a while. They just got power back, but they were going to lose a lot of their stock, so he gave me a good price to take it away.” He handed Mike a receipt. “The fish aren’t going to care.”

“Nope.” Mike got his equipment set up, and William sat out of the way and let them do their morning routine in favor of some more shut-eye.

“How many guys are there today?” Gordon asked.

“Four men. They booked online a few weeks ago. I haven’t met them before,” Mike explained as he continued working.

William watched him from under his lashes. He hadn’t slept well the last two nights, so some rest was sorely needed. Headlights flashed in his eyes and were quickly doused.

“Is this the one?” a slightly effeminate voice asked.

“Yes,” another answered with a slight lisp. “But be careful when you get on. Remember the last time?” The comment was followed by peals of laughter and a high-pitched growl. “Mike?”

William opened his eyes in time to see Mike wave as four guys in polo shirts in various shades of pink and purple climbed on board.

“I’m Jerry and this is Kyle, Steven, and Skippy.”

“Good to meet you,” Mike said, and William gave Mike credit for not flinching at the flamboyant guys. The same couldn’t be said for Bubba, who shook their hands but seemed a little paler than he’d been when he’d first boarded. “This is William. He got stranded here with the storm, so he’ll be joining us if that’s okay.”

Jerry sidled up to him with a wide smile. “It’s perfectly fine with us.” For a second William felt the heat of appraisal, followed by appreciation. Jerry held out his hand. “It’s good to meet you. Have you done this fishing thing before?”

“Yes,” William said as they shook.

“This is our first time fishing. We did a boat tour last year, and Steven managed to fall in getting on.”

“You’re never going to let me forget that, are you, Mary—I mean, Jerry?” Steven whined, sounding miffed.

“Don’t be sensitive. I was only teasing.” Jerry turned to Mike, who showed him where to stash their gear.

Once everyone was settled, Mike started the engine, and Bubba cast off the lines. Then Mike sat in his captain’s chair, back as rigid as a board.

 

 

GORDON MOVED stiffly, saying nothing and staying about as far from everyone as he possibly could. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that he was uncomfortable as hell. Thankfully the other passengers didn’t seem to notice as they talked animatedly among one another.

“Where are you from?” Skippy asked, shifting to sit next to William. “The four of us are all from Boston.” Skippy’s accent was pretty clear, though he was obviously brought up in an atmosphere that had done its best to try to remove most of the heavier influences from his voice. He wore expensive khaki shorts and a lavender polo shirt that would look perfectly at home in any pride parade in the country.

“Providence. I came down for some fishing and was supposed to go on to a meeting, but the storm had other ideas. My rental developed problems and they can’t get me another car for a few days, so I’m making the most of it. What made you want to come fishing?”

“We all decided to take a few days and have some fun a few weeks ago, and Jerry booked us to go fishing.” Skippy leaned closer. “I was in favor of a party boat, but he wanted to fish, so we’re fishing.”

“You’re going to have a good time. Mike is a great captain, and Bubba will take good care of you.”

Skippy rolled his eyes. “You mean the guy who wishes he could jump off this boat and swim to shore? Please. That guy took one look at us and wanted to abandon ship. He barely shook hands and then ran to try to escape, like he was going to catch gay from any of us.” He rolled his eyes again, and William admitted to himself that it would have been pretty funny if the ramifications weren’t extremely clear, especially for Mike.

“Bubba’s fine. He’s just a little uptight.”

“Does he know about you?” Skippy asked, and William shook his head, then glanced over at Mike and instantly wished he hadn’t. Skippy was way too observant. The other guys talked and laughed without paying too much attention to anything else, but Skippy was completely different.

“What do you do when you aren’t down here fishing?”

“Lawyer.” Skippy yawned affectedly. “My father’s firm. He wanted me to become a lawyer, so I did.” He shrugged as though doing what his father wanted was second nature and hardly mattered to him at all. “It’s not all that big a deal. I’m good at it and I make the firm millions, which makes my father happy, so I can take off on trips like this with my friends.” Clearly Skippy wasn’t as twinkish as he tried to project.

“What about the others?”

“Trust-fund babies, all of them—though Kyle has an actual career also. That’s how we met. I manage all of them.” Skippy winked, and William smiled. He liked Skippy, who was a chameleon of sorts and seemed quite good at it. “How about you?”

“Westmoreland Motors. Family firm,” William answered and Skippy nodded.

“I know about those. I work with my father….”

“But your mother pulls the strings,” William stated with a smile.

“God, yes. My mother has an opinion on everything. So most dinnertimes are like a board meeting of sorts.” Skippy rolled his eyes. “I get indigestion just thinking about it.”

“And if your father does something your mother doesn’t agree with, there’s hell to pay.”

Skippy laughed. “And if Mother says that Dad’s the boss and far be it for her to interfere?”

William chuckled. “That’s when you know you’re in deep shit because there’s no good answer. If Dad does what he wants, Mom gets angry, and if he listens to Mom, then he loses face and gets mad at himself.”

“The family business minefield and all of it played out over whatever was once a lovely meal.”

William groaned softly. “And they wonder why I eat out as often as possible.” He raised his glass of water and Skippy did the same. They clinked plastic cups and laughed together. It was rare to find someone who understood the pitfalls of his life so well. “I come down here for a sanity break a few times a year.”

“Is that how you met Captain Mike?” Skippy asked, and William did his best to show no reaction. “It’s okay. I won’t say anything. They won’t notice as long as they’re having fun and the beer and vodka continue to flow.”

“Alcohol and boats aren’t a good combination.” As if to make his point, as they exited the last shelter of the harbor and entered open water, the boat rocked pretty steadily as they crested wave after wave. They weren’t large, but the intense conversation from the others quieted quickly. “Do they get seasick?”

Skippy shrugged, and William dug into his bag.

“Guys. Take one of these. It will help calm your stomach and won’t make you sleepy.” He handed over the package, and they all took one, then reached inside the cooler for something to drink. “I suggest water for a while until your stomach has a chance to settle.”

“We’ll try to find our live bait traps in a few minutes, and then we’ll head out,” Mike explained. “Bubba is going to set each of you up with a rod, and we’ll show you how to use them.” His voice held none of the fun and energy it had the last time he and Mike had been out fishing. Mike was all business, without even a smile. William wanted to tell him to relax and just have a little fun, but that wasn’t in the cards today. Gordon was wound as tight as a drum as well, and William could tell this entire trip was going to be a barrel of laughs.

Mike turned and continued steering the boat. After a few minutes, he cut the engine and Gordon climbed up on the bow, holding on and looking out over the water. “We need to find a white buoy.”

“Okay, guys,” Jerry said, and they all spread out, looking in every direction as waves continued rolling.

As Steven leaned over the side of the boat, William turned away, then went to try to help him. “Do you feel a little better?” William asked, handing Steven a bottle of water.

“Yeah.” Steven took the bottle and slowly got to his feet.

“Sit out here in the fresh air and watch the horizon for a while. Keep your head steady as the boat and your body move. That will calm your stomach and settle things down.”

“Thanks.” Steven sounded worn out. He glanced to where the others were searching for the buoys. “I don’t think they like us very much. I told Jerry this wasn’t the best idea.” He turned away and looked over the water.

“They’re both good guys. Just give them a little time.” William hoped that was what it would take for Gordon to lighten up a bit. He had a pretty good idea that Mike was nervous because of Gordon, but it was only a matter of time before all the guys became aware of the tension, and that wasn’t going to be good for Mike. However, bringing it up as a topic of discussion wasn’t going to help either. “Any luck, Bubba?” William called.

“Nope. I think the storm must have moved everything.” They continued trolling for a while and then gave up. Gordon returned to the back. “We’ll be arriving at our first fishing spot in a little while, so I need you all to take the spots you want.” He waited while the guys clamored to get what they thought was the prize spot on the boat.

William hung behind and took the last one, then turned to Skippy at his left.

“Bubba will bait your hook with some fish, and then you lower the line and put your thumb right here. That’s so the line doesn’t backlash and get all tangled up. Once the line reaches the bottom, pull it up a little and wait for something to bite, then reel like crazy.”

“Do I have to take the fish off?”

“No. They have sharp teeth and their fins can cut you, so let Mike or Gordon do it. Some things we have to throw back and others we can keep. They know and will help all of you.” William spoke a little louder. “These guys are experts and have been doing this for years, so listen to them.”

Everyone nodded.

“What are your plans for the oodles of fish you’re going to catch?”

“We rented a house up the beach, and we were hoping to have a beach party of sorts. We have grills and Steven is a chef, so he’s in charge of preparing all the fish.” Jerry clearly had everything planned.

Once Mike got to the first spot, Gordon baited all the hooks, and they settled into the business of fishing. William got a bite right away, and man, it felt like he had something huge. He reeled like crazy, the line fighting him, and danged if he didn’t pull out a huge grouper.

“That’s good luck!” Mike declared and got the fish off the line and right into the box with a load of ice. Jerry hauled in a fish, as did the others in rapid succession. Two smaller groupers and two red snappers they threw back. After that, the catch rate slowed. William got another bite, a small grouper that had to be thrown back, before Mike had them pull up their lines and moved to another spot.

They all talked about the fish and what they hoped to catch with added excitement and anticipation. Gordon went about his work efficiently, making sure all the hooks were baited, and each of the guys thanked him for his help. Steven seemed less green and more relaxed as the morning went on and they moved from spot to spot. At about noon, they ate lunch while Mike found the next spot, the guys laughing and telling stories about the stupidest things they’d done, and, of course, they all involved men, which had Gordon’s eyes whirling.

The afternoon went much the same as the morning did. They caught a number of keepers that went in the box and a lot of fish they had to throw back.

“Last spot,” Mike called as the sun hung low in the sky.

Gordon got all the hooks baited, and they set to fishing. Steven cried that he had a good bite, reeling like crazy, and Jerry next to him winding like crazy as well. When Jerry’s empty hook broke the water, he pulled the pole upward and the hook went flying over the side of the boat and right into Gordon’s thigh. He let out a yell for everyone to stop. Mike jumped from the front of the boat as Jerry apologized profusely. Gordon swore under his breath, and since William was closest, he heard the very unflattering words used. So did Mike. It was clear Mike wasn’t sure how to handle the situation, but it also became very clear as time went on that the others heard what Gordon muttered and chose to ignore it.

“That’s enough. Just let me take a look at it.”

“No,” Kyle said without a hint of malice. “I have a kit in my bag.” He turned to Steven. “Go get it. Mike, do you have scissors? I need to cut away the fabric so I can get a better look. Gordon, lie still.” The authority in his voice made everyone pause.

“Here’s the kit.”

Mike handed him a pair of scissors, and Kyle cut the line before gently pushing up Gordon’s shorts. The hook wasn’t too deep, thankfully.

Kyle cut off the line and the back of the hook. “I’m going to need you to grit your teeth and look away. I have to push the hook through, and then I can remove it and clean the wound.”

“Are you a doctor?” Gordon bit out.

“Yup. Plastic surgeon.” Kyle grinned and turned back to Gordon’s leg.

William came around and put his hands on Gordon’s shoulders. “You’re going to need to hold still.” He turned away as Gordon grabbed his arm, gritting his teeth and trying not to cry out.

“All set,” Kyle said. “I’m going to disinfect the wound. It isn’t big and doesn’t need stitches, but I’d get a tetanus shot from your doctor if you haven’t had one in a few years, and watch the area for infection. God knows what was on that hook.”

William released Gordon’s shoulders, and Kyle cleaned the wound and dressed it.

“I think you’ll be fine, but make sure you see your doctor soon.”

“I will.” Gordon got to his feet as Mike headed for shore as quickly as he could.

William made sure Gordon sat and did what he could to put all the equipment away. The mood on the boat returned to normal pretty quickly, with everyone talking and laughing the entire way back. Once they docked, William helped the guys get their stuff off and loaded the fish into one of their coolers.

“Our house is just up the shore, maybe a mile or so,” Jerry said as the others disembarked. “I don’t remember the address, but it’s white with a lot of stonework in front.”

“I know it,” Mike said, slightly impressed.

“We’ll be cleaning and cooking the fish, so if you all want to join us, that would be great.” Jerry shook hands with Gordon and Mike, as well as William, and climbed onto the dock, then hurried up toward the huge SUV parked next to Mike’s truck.

“God, that was something else,” Gordon breathed. “I don’t think I’ve spent a day with more mincing and prancing in my life.” He rolled his eyes. “At first… God, I wondered if they’d spend all day looking at me or something.”

William bit his lower lip. Christ on the cross. Why was it that every straight man, no matter how big a beer belly or how unwashed, thought every gay man would have eyes for them for some reason? “Somehow I don’t think you have to worry about that.” William had tried to keep quiet, he honestly had.

“What does that mean?” Gordon circled on him, hands on his hips.

“Did you see those guys? They had on clean clothes, expensive cologne, their hair was primped within an inch of its life, at least when they first arrived. And you were worried they were going to be interested in you?” He rolled his eyes exaggeratedly.

“You’re saying I’m not good enough for the likes of them?”

“I’m saying that they aren’t going to be swayed by your permanent bedhead, beer belly, and eau de fish.” William turned to Mike, who had looked away and was doing his best to appear busy.

“Yeah,” Mike chimed in. “When was the last time a woman looked at you when you look like you do now?” Thank God he came to the rescue. “Folks are folks, and we’re here to provide a good time to each and every one of them. I heard what you said, and so did they.” Mike’s nostrils flared and he was rigid. “I don’t care what you think of our passengers, but you will keep it to yourself. Those men paid for an entire day on this boat, and that means they deserve to be treated with the same respect as we treat anyone else.”

“But….” Gordon didn’t seem to know quite what to make of what Mike was saying.

“They are customers, and they pay the bills for both of us.”

“But what if they go up north and tell everyone about us and we’re overrun with men like….” He looked where they others had gone.

“I think you took care of that possibility with your little display. I can’t afford to advertise, so we live or die based on word of mouth. What kind of things are those four going to talk about? Having a good time, or the fact that the first mate said things no one should hear?” Mike eased up, but he was still forceful, and from what William could gather, nervous as all hell, though he doubted Gordon picked up on it. What Mike was doing took guts. “Go get your leg looked at and make sure it’s okay. Our next charter is Thursday.”

“You still want…?”

“Yes, you big oaf. You’re still my Bubba. We’ve known each other forever. But just remember about the customers.”

Gordon nodded and turned, walking gently up the dock toward his old truck.

“That was interesting,” Mike said as he unloaded their things. “I always thought Gordon would have a problem with gay people, but it was painful to see.”

“Yeah, it was, and I know you were hesitant to say anything because of… well, let’s say privacy concerns.” William understood that Mike being open about who he really was in small, conservative town like this was going to be difficult and could be fraught with peril to him and to his business. “I should have kept my mouth shut.”

“No.” Mike turned as Gordon’s truck pulled out of the lot. “What he did wasn’t professional, and that’s what we have to be if we’re going to keep this business afloat. There are other boats up and down the wharf and in neighboring towns that can be chartered for fishing. It’s part of what this entire coast lives on, and I can’t afford to offend customers because he has strong opinions on something that’s best left at home.” Mike dropped the rods he was carrying onto the desk, swearing under his breath.

“This whole thing upset you,” William said as he helped Mike gather the equipment and stow it away.

“Yeah. When he was muttering those things after getting hooked… it was like he was saying them to me.” Mike gathered up the electronics and packed them away to take with him.

“I’ll get the coolers in the back of the truck.” William hefted the first one and carried it away to load it in the back. He brought the second one out as lights flashed on in the parking lot. “Hey, look at that.” Power was indeed coming on, as part of the town that had been dark suddenly lit up.

William took a few minutes to check out the rental car. It was just where he’d left it and looked fine, if still unwilling to start. He called the agency once again, and this time was told that they’d be by tomorrow to pick up his old car and would deliver a new one at the same time. He was both relieved and sad. Yes, it would be nice to have his own car, but once he got it, he’d be out of excuses and business in Atlanta would take precedence.

He closed his phone and turned to where Mike worked to get the boat ready for the night. The last of day was fading, and Mike turned on the battery lights on the boat, bathing himself in their glow. Mike moved from place to place with a gentle, flowing grace the belied his size. William knew Mike was now stowing equipment. It didn’t matter what he was doing.

“You like him, don’t you?”

William turned, surprised. “I thought you’d left.”

Skippy flung his bag over his shoulder. “It fell out of the truck so I walked down to get it.” He stood next to him, and William knew he was seeing the same thing William was. “You know it’s okay if you do.”

“Yes and no. I don’t belong here, and Lord knows he’d never fit into my parents’ rarefied world in Providence.” God, he could just see Mike walking into one of his mother’s charity events. William smiled. Heck, maybe that’s what those stuffy affairs needed. But he’d never put Mike through something like that. Those gossips could be vicious.

“I don’t know about you not belonging here.” Skippy nudged his side in a friendly way. “And as far as him fitting in back home, I know something about that. He doesn’t have to as long as he fits in with you.”

That was the question, and William knew it was too soon to tell. It wasn’t likely he’d get the chance to really find out.

Mike continued working, oblivious to his audience.

“Mike is….” William’s words couldn’t get past the lump in his throat. “This is the only world he knows. He takes care of his mother and daughter…. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone quite like him.”

“I get it.” Skippy moved away. “I need to get back, but we were serious. We have plenty of fish and a ton of food. Come join us for a while. All of you.”

“I’ll ask Mike about it.”

Skippy walked back toward the road, and William headed to the boat, where Mike seemed to be finishing up. “Skippy was just here. His bag fell out of the truck so he came back for it, and he reiterated his invitation for dinner.”

Mike turned off the lights, enclosing them in darkness. “I don’t know if I should. Gordon and….” Mike looked all around the mostly empty dock area, and William could feel Mike pulling away.

“Okay. Then let’s go. I’m sure Carrie is waiting for you to get home.” He wasn’t going to push Mike. That wasn’t his place. He was here and had a place to stay because of him, and he certainly didn’t have the right to tell Mike how he should live. He had a family and a daughter of his own.

Mike nodded and stepped off the boat, looking back to ensure everything was okay, and then they got in Mike’s truck and drove the ten minutes or so home.

“Daddy,” Carrie cried gleefully as she rushed out of the house and into his arms as soon as they stepped out of the truck. “Did you catch lots of fish?”

“Yup, and we got invited to a party. So go inside and change so we can go.” Mike followed her inside.

William was shocked into immobility but eventually walked toward the house. Mike surprised him, and few people did that. With his parents’ society friends and their duplicitous nature, he’d learned to watch people closely and was very good at reading people, which was why his father had wanted him in the meeting in Atlanta. But Mike managed to surprise him.

Inside, William changed into clean shorts and shirt and was ready to go.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go?” Mike asked his mother.

“No. It will be good to have a few hours of quiet.” She shooed them out the door, and after Carrie climbed in the backseat, Mike drove back toward the beach.

The night was surprisingly quiet and the house was stunning. Aloud, William wondered why it seemed to have fared so well after the storm.

“This place was built when they knew what they were doing,” said Mike. “I’ve driven past it all my life and wanted to see inside. My grandfather used to tell stories about the family who built this house.”

They got out, with Mike holding Carrie’s hand. William followed as they approached the front door, which opened before they got there.

Jerry stepped outside. “Glad you could come,” he said happily. “Come on inside. The party’s around back.” He held the door and they all stepped inside. The house was incredible, with antiques and amazing woodwork and craftsmanship. It looked like something out of a history book.

“How were you able to rent this house?” William asked.

“Well, it’s owned by one of our firm’s clients, and he loaned it to me for the weekend.” Jerry closed the door. “The house has been in their family for generations. The price was that we’d make sure it weathered the hurricane all right, and as you can see, the old girl did. The roof had some damage, but the maintenance company has already been out and gotten it repaired.” Jerry led them through the stunning interior, past rooms that would look at home in an antebellum museum.

“Daddy!” Carrie said with awe, the same way she might if they were watching fireworks for the first time.

“I know. Isn’t it pretty?”

She nodded, and Jerry led them to the back door and out onto acres of grass and sand. The house was surprisingly far from the actual Gulf, and the stone break wall between them and the water made it clear as to how the house had survived the pounding waves and tidal surges.

“Guys, look who came,” Jerry called, and the other three waved as they approached.

“Is this your daughter?” Kyle asked as he approached, smiling.

“Yes. This is Carrie. She loves fish, and I hope it’s okay, but I don’t get that much time with her, and—”

“Of course it is,” Steven called from the grill, in shorts and a Kiss the Cook apron, which was an invitation the other guys took at face value.

William met Mike’s confused gaze with his best “what did you expect” look, but said nothing.

“Daddy, those men are kissing each other,” Carrie stage-whispered, and Mike turned red.

William did his best to pretend he hadn’t heard her comment, even as his curiosity got the better of him, and he wondered how Mike would handle it. But Mike seemed speechless. “Carrie,” William said, leaning down so he was at eye level with her. “It’s okay to kiss the people you care about.”

“But girls kiss boys.”

“And sometimes when boys like each other, they kiss. That’s okay too.” He hoped to hell he wasn’t going too far out on a limb and glanced up at Mike.

“That’s right. If people care for each other, it doesn’t matter.”

“That’s not what my teacher at school said,” Carrie countered, alternately looking at both of them, and William took a step back. This was up to Mike now.

“Sometimes teachers aren’t always right, and what Mr. William and I are saying is correct. It doesn’t matter if boys kiss girls or if boys kiss boys as long as they like each other and they’re both happy about that. Okay?” Mike looked about as uncomfortable as possible, though William wasn’t sure if it was being here or just talking about things with his daughter. “People can love whoever they want to love.”

“But Mrs. Carter—”

“Sweetheart, Mrs. Carter is a nice lady, but she isn’t always right. I promise.” He pulled Carrie into his arms and mouthed over her shoulder, “And she’s the minister’s wife and brings her views where they don’t belong.”

William nodded his understanding. He turned to their hosts. “What can I do to help?”

“We have it all under control, so take a seat and relax.” Kyle brought them each a beer, and a soda for Carrie, motioning to chairs in the shade of a large pergola with fans going to move the air.

Mike sat, and Carrie climbed on his lap, sipping from the round bottle of Orangina.

“I like this. Can we get some?” she said with a grin.

“We’ll see.” Mike told her, looking at the label. “Maybe as a special treat.”

“Can I play at the beach? I want to pick up shells.” Carrie slid off Mike’s lap. “I won’t go in the water.”

“Okay. But you have to stay in front of the house where I can see you.” He let her go, and Carrie set the mostly empty bottle on the table next to Mike and raced off. “I didn’t know what to tell her… you know, earlier.”

“If I overstepped….”

Mike shook his head. “I never thought how to tell her about….” Mike sighed. “I guess I should tell her what I want her to know instead of what I think others might say. I don’t want Carrie to go to school and have the other kids pick on her or tell her she’s wrong.”

“How’s Bubba?” Kyle asked, taking a seat across from them and putting his socked feet up on the stool.

“He seemed okay.”

“Will he see a doctor tomorrow?” Kyle asked before sipping from a martini glass.

“Bubba won’t see a doctor unless he’s dying or one of his legs is threatening to fall off. It’s a Bubba thing. Push through it and don’t let anything stop you until you keel over.”

“He needs someone to take a look at it. That hook was filthy, and infection is a huge possibility.”

“I’ll bug him.” Mike looked toward the water to where Carrie bent over to pick something up and then drop it again.

“She’s adorable,” Kyle said. “I heard her question.”

“Yeah. When I brought her, I guess I should have been a little more prepared. Around here things are… more conservative. While it isn’t officially the Bible Belt, a lot of people hold those beliefs.”

Kyle nodded. “If you want my opinion, you have to raise Carrie according to your beliefs and not those of everyone else around you. And just so you know, your answer to her was a good one. In the end she’ll have to make up her own mind and develop her own beliefs and values. You can guide her, but she’s becoming a young lady and will form her own opinions.”

“I suppose.” Mike still seemed confused, and William wanted to take his hand to reassure him, but he wasn’t sure how Mike would react with Carrie so close, so he willed his support to him and kept his hands on his lap. “I want her to be happy and to know that there’s more to the world than this town and what I’m able to show her.”

William couldn’t help himself; he took Mike’s hand anyway. “You show her your heart every day, and that’s what she really needs to know.”

Kyle’s gaze settled where their hands met and his eyes widened slightly. “I never would have guessed.”

“I did,” Skippy said, bounding over. “I have better sense of these things than you do.” He plunked himself on Kyle’s lap. “I always have, doctor.”

“Skippy,” Kyle said in a low tone.

“Are you going to go all doctor on me if I’m bad? Maybe give me a shot in the butt?” He waggled his eyebrows and groaned even as he put his arms around Kyle.

“Are you two at it again?” Jerry asked. “We need to get everything brought out from the house.”

“I’m on it.” Skippy wriggled and got off Kyle’s lap to hurry inside. Kyle seemed relieved but went inside after Skippy, and William wondered what was up with the two of them, but it wasn’t his place to ask. He got a strange vibe, like Skippy wanted Kyle, but Kyle was hesitating and even pushing him away. William got the idea that the harder Skippy pushed, the more Kyle resisted, until it had become a game of some sort.

William stood and wandered toward the beach, where Carrie continued combing the sand for treasures. “Did you find anything good?”

“A quarter,” she said with a grin, “and some pretty shells.” She showed him her shells and the coin.

“Can I?” William asked and took the coin from her hand. It did indeed look about the size of a quarter, but it was something quite different. “This isn’t a quarter.” He handed it back to her. “I think it’s Spanish and very old. You should show it to your dad.”

“Really, like treasure?” Carrie asked with a gleam in her eyes.

“I guess you could say that. Where did you find it?” William asked, and she showed him. William dug around but found nothing else. It was a single coin that had washed up from goodness knew where to end up in a little girl’s collection.

“Can I show Daddy?” She held the coin tightly now.

“Sure. Go on.” William smiled as Carrie raced over the sand. He followed and approached as everyone gathered around to marvel at Carrie’s find.

“There’s a coin dealer in Tallahassee. We’ll take it to him and see what he says.” Mike put the coin away, and Carrie hurried back to the beach to look for more. “We’re going to eat soon, I think.”

“She’s just excited,” William told him, watching as Carrie studied the sand.

“I bet she grows up to hunt gold and silver on shipwrecks,” Jerry said. “She had the look, like she’d just caught the bug.”

“If she does, then she can take care of her old man.” William gently patted Mike on the shoulder, and they all headed to the table on the patio for dinner.

“I should call her.”

Kyle nudged Mike. “Let her be. She can eat when she’s ready. The sun will go down soon and that will end her fun.”

They all sat down to a feast for the senses. Steven truly was amazing, and after a while, Carrie came in and sat down next to Mike. The fish was sublime, with a light butter sauce that added just the right amount of tang to the freshness of the fish. The vegetables were bright, and the salad had all the wonder of Florida crispness in every bite.

William sighed with contentment as their new friends told story after story—Steven of kitchen mishaps and Skippy tales of stupid criminal tricks. Eventually Kyle chimed in with some of the tales of surgical mishaps. Mike told about seeing whales and huge sea turtles while out on the water. William had very little to add and kept quiet. His life was relatively dull when he was at work. It made him realize just how stationary and ordinary his life had become and how he was going to miss the warmth and the care that Gulf breezes blew when he returned home. He wanted this to continue, but the real world was calling more and more.