“Asking Marina to marry us was pretty gutsy of you,” Jack said, tousling Leo’s hair with one hand as he steered the VW van along the coastal road with the other.
After her acceptance last night, he had been so elated it had taken time to wind down and close his eyes. Today, Jack was surfing rainbows of happiness.
“Why, Dad? Everyone else is getting married, and when people love each other, they get married.” He kicked his feet on the floorboards, which were covered with a fine sandy silt. “That’s what you said about Mom and Dr. Noah.”
“So I did. Way to go, little man. Awfully proud of you.” He held up his hand for a high-five.
Leo slapped his father’s hand and gave him a wide grin, revealing a couple of empty spaces with missing baby teeth farther back. “I think I’ll ask Samantha to get married.”
Jack frowned. “Wait a minute, sport. You guys are still pretty young. Give it a few years. College first, kiddo.”
“I know that.” Leo tried to roll his eyes, but instead, his lids just fluttered.
Jack suppressed a laugh. Leo was still working on his technique, but he would probably have it perfected by the time he was a teenager. “Where’d you learn that?”
“What?”
“That eye roll you’re working on.”
“Friends from school, I guess.” Leo gave an equally elaborate shrug and stared out the window at the passing scenery. They were hugging the beach, and Leo liked to watch the ocean for migrating whales and dolphins.
“Figures.” His son was practically a pre-teen, though Jack wasn’t sure exactly what age that was.
Still, Jack knew these were crucial years with his son. Vanessa was an amazing mother, and he didn’t want to mess up anything with his son. He figured he had only a few years before Leo no longer thought of his father as a rock star. He was already starting to see changes in him, but that was part of growing up.
At least he’d gotten to spend this part of Leo’s childhood with him. For that, Jack was grateful. He still wished Vanessa would have told him about Leo sooner, but he understood her reasons. They hadn’t had a real relationship, and he wasn’t father material back then. Besides, her father might have killed him.
Not literally, of course. That is, he didn’t think so. Though Jack liked to think he could have won him over if he’d had to.
Even so, Jack was happy for Vanessa now. She and Dr. Noah were meant for each other, and he hoped they were enjoying their honeymoon. This would be the longest time he’d had with Leo.
Jack had a good situation here in Summer Beach. No way was he giving this up, especially since he and Marina were officially engaged. That was more reason to move forward with purchasing the cottage he’d been renting, even if it was a unique property.
He’d become accustomed to the ocean mural in the living room and the palm tree painted in the kitchen. Leo loved the undersea mural in his bedroom. They’d been painted with love by the former owner, an accomplished artist. He hoped Marina would feel the same way about the artwork.
“Are we almost there yet?”
Jack laughed. “Is that from the Official Kid’s Handbook?”
“The what?”
“Never mind. We’re here.” He turned into the Fisherman’s Wharf parking lot, which was a dirt patch off the road. “Freshest seafood in town. This is where the fishing vessels come in. We can catch a ride sometime and go out with them if you want. Or drop a line over on that side.”
Leo bounced in his seat. “That would be cool.”
This morning, Bennett had asked Jack to meet him there to talk about the house. The mayor said he had city business at the wharf, so they could meet for lunch if Jack was free. He was, and he made sure it was all right that he brought Leo along.
The sun was warm on Jack’s shoulders as he and Leo walked along the wooden pier, where bait shops and tourist gift shops stood side by side. At the end of the short pier was Mel’s Fish, reputed to be the best casual dining place for fresh fish in Summer Beach.
The chalkboard outside listed the menu and the fresh catch of the day. Fish-and-chips was the specialty, plus tuna poke, mahi-mahi fish tacos, clam chowder, mussels, and so much more. They even had burgers and vegetarian options.
“Looks like our kind of place, Leo.” Jack stepped inside, the worn boards creaking beneath his feet. Double doors stood open to the deck outside, which overlooked the water.
Bennett sat at a table on the deck with a gray-haired man who looked a little older than they were.
The mayor waved toward him, and Jack and Leo made their way to the table. He introduced the other man. “Garrett grew up in the house you’re living in.”
“It’s a real pleasure meeting you.” Jack had been sending his rent to a post office box, with the checks made out to a trust. “My son Leo and I love your house.” They shook hands and sat down at the wooden table.
Garrett folded his hands and peered at Leo with twinkling eyes. “Tell me, son, do you like the underwater mural in your room?”
Leo’s eyes widened. “I sure do. Sometimes I pretend that’s me scuba diving.”
“My father painted that for me,” Garrett said, chuckling. “He made sure to include my favorite creatures in the scene. Let’s see, if memory still serves me, there were orange-and-white striped clownfish, some bright yellow and blue tangs, and a scary striped lionfish. He even added an octopus I named Ollie.”
“And what about friendly lobster?” Leo said, his eyes widening.
“How could I forget?” Garrett laughed. “That lobster waved to me every morning.”
“Are you the one who became an oceanographer?” Jack asked.
“That’s right, and I just retired. It was only my father and me. Sort of like you and your son, I understand.”
Maybe that explained why the vintage, blue enamel oven still looked new, Jack thought.
Just then, a server brought three glasses of iced tea and a lemonade for Leo. They ordered lunch—four fish-and-chips, the lunchtime specialty.
While they were waiting for their food, Bennett leaned forward. “I talked to Garrett about your desire to buy the house, and he’s willing to sell it.”
“Great,” Jack said. “As soon as I’m approved for that mortgage we talked about.” He had money tucked away for a down payment.
Bennett glanced at Leo. “About that…”
Jack turned to Leo, who was transfixed by a large aquarium inside. “Want to go look at the fish?”
“Sure.” Leo scooted off his chair and darted toward the aquarium.
“That will keep him busy for a while.” Jack placed his hands on the table. “You were saying?”
Bennett shook his head. “Based on the information you gave me, I couldn’t find any lenders for you. When you’re self-employed, it’s difficult to qualify for a mortgage until you have a solid track record.”
“Which I don’t have yet.” Jack could continue renting, but he wanted the dream of having his own home and the ability to do whatever he wanted with the property. And have something to pass on someday.
He wasn’t getting any younger.
Garrett threaded his hands in front of him. “Why do you want to buy the place?”
“It’s not for me,” Jack replied. “I just got engaged, and I’d like to buy the house for her and my son.”
“But you pay rent,” Garrett said. “How do you manage that?”
Jack told him about his different jobs. The illustrations he was doing for Ginger, the articles, the royalties from other articles he’d kept the rights to, even how he was renting out the old studio space. He hated to mention his editor Gus, but if taking on that piece meant he might be able to buy the house, he’d do it.
When Jack finished, Bennett looked at the other man. “Jack is industrious, and he’s at the top of his game. Plus, he has a substantial amount to put down on the property.”
Garrett appeared to consider this and peered at Jack. “I understand you won a pretty impressive award in your profession.”
Jack still felt self-conscious about that, although he’d certainly put in the work for it. But so had a lot of his colleagues. “That I did.”
“This is Jack’s first marriage,” Bennett added.
Jack grinned. “I just got formally engaged last night. If you can call Leo proposing over hot dogs on the beach formal.”
“That’s what I’ve always loved about Summer Beach.” Garrett chuckled. “Tell me about this special lady.”
Jack drew a breath. “Marina owns the Coral Cafe, a popular beachfront restaurant.”
“Near the Coral Cottage?”
“Right on the same property.”
“Then that would make her grandmother Ginger Delavie, yes?”
Jack often forgot how small Summer Beach really was. “How do you know Ginger?”
“Everyone knows Ginger. She’s a force.” Garrett laced his fingers. “If you’re Ginger-approved, I see no reason why I shouldn’t do the same.”
“Sorry, I don’t follow.” Jack looked at Bennett, feeling a little lost in the conversation.
“I didn’t think you’d be able to qualify for a loan right now,” Bennett said, tapping the table. “And Garrett would have to do a lot of work to put the house on the market. If you want, he’s agreed to carry the note for you—and at a very favorable interest rate. If that’s okay with you, the house can be yours.”
Worry fell from Jack’s shoulders like weights. Just when he thought his day couldn’t get any better, it did. “Wow, I hardly know what to say. Except thank you, and I promise I’ll never be a day late.” His bank’s auto-pay was a lifesaver for his finances. “But I have to know—why would you take a chance on me?”
Garrett looked thoughtful. “People have paid it forward for me.” He nodded toward Leo. “Your boy reminds me of my kids at that age. I know what it’s like to want to provide for your family. You have a home now, so take good care of Leo and Ginger’s granddaughter. She must be an incredible woman.”
“She sure is.” Jack could hardly believe his good fortune. “And I’ll do the same someday.”
Bennett outlined the details. “If you both agree, Garrett’s attorney can draw up the paperwork. Have yours look at it, too.”
Just then, the food arrived, and Leo raced back to the table. Choked up with happiness, Jack wrapped his arms around his son. He’d tell Leo once the deal was signed off, although he wasn’t sure Leo was old enough to appreciate the meaning of this. But someday, when his son had children, he would. And Jack would pay it forward, too. Tears sprang to his eyes. For the first time in his life, he could see his legacy unfolding before him.
“What’s wrong, Dad?”
Jack laughed through his tears. “Sometimes, when your heart is so full of happiness, it leaks out of your eyes.” He wiped his face while Bennett and Garrett looked on with understanding.
As they dug into the baskets lined with butcher paper and filled with steaming fried fish, french fries, and homemade tartar sauce, Jack thought food had never tasted so good.
Except for Marina’s, of course. He couldn’t wait to tell her. She’d once said that he should buy his rental when he could. He hoped she still felt that way.
As they were finishing the meal, Jack heard a young guy with his back to them at the bar take a phone call. As he spoke, the fine hairs on Jack’s neck bristled with alarm.
It was the voice from the phone call at Marina’s cafe. The guy who’d slipped away. And he was leaving now.
Jack leaned toward Bennett. “Would you look after Leo for a minute? I need to talk to someone.”
Before Bennett could answer, Jack charged out the door after the other man, taking mental notes. Jeans, black T-shirt, short hair, muscled, tattoo on his neck.
There went his perfect day. Clenching his fists, Jack caught up with him in the dirt parking lot. “Hey bud, we need to talk.”
The younger man whirled around. Designer sunglasses concealed his eyes. “What the—”
He stopped. “It’s you.” He took a step back and held up his hands. “I’m not looking for trouble.”
“Then why are you spying on me?” The guy was younger than he’d thought. Not much more than a kid with a boarding school accent. This didn’t add up.
“You’ve got that wrong.”
“I don’t think so. I heard your call at the Coral Cafe, right before you pulled a disappearing act.” Jack advanced on him. “Who sent you?”
“Howling Cat Productions. But I was here anyway seeing friends.”
That was not what Jack was expecting. He narrowed his eyes. “What do you want?”
“Look, my boss wanted me to track you down. We couldn’t reach you in New York, and you’d left the newspaper. You’re not even on social media.”
“There’s a reason for that. Once again, what do you want?”
“With Jarvis getting out of prison—”
“Hold it right there.” Jack tapped the guy’s chest. “If you’re looking for trouble, I’m serving it up. Guaranteed.”
The guy took another step back. “All we wanted was to talk to you about your investigation. For a film.”
Jack shoved his hands on his hips. “Where are you from again?”
“Howling Cat Productions. It’s in Hollywood.”
“And you want to buy rights?”
“That’s not really in the budget. We just want to talk to you. Get a feel for what you think about the case. There’s a famous director involved, and you could get some good press out of it. I could see if you can get some photos with him.”
“Let me get this straight. There’s no budget for me.”
“They just what to pick your brain.”
“For free?”
“Well, yeah. We have a team of screenwriters working on the script, but they’re stuck, and we thought you might like to give us a fresh perspective. Can you jump on a call?”
“I’d like to tell them where to jump. As for you, stop nosing around and get out of here. I don’t work for free. Not for Hollywood.”
The guy spread his hands. “Look, I don’t get paid either. It’s a good way to break into the business.” He backed toward his late-model Porsche.
Jack got it now. “You’re an intern.” Hollywood was famous for its unpaid, overworked interns looking for a break. Some were from wealthy families, while others were barely getting by.
“Not for long, I hope.”
Swiping the air out of frustration, Jack expelled the pent-up adrenaline coursing through him. “Just get out here. And don’t stalk people. Some folks aren’t as nice as I am.”
“My dad said you probably wouldn’t go for it.”
“You need to listen to your father more.”
The kid stumbled back, clicked open his car, and climbed in, locking the door after him.
Jack turned away, disgusted. This wasn’t the first time he’d received a request like that. A lot of people wanted shortcuts. They wanted to profit from others’ work for nothing.
One of his colleagues had been in a lawsuit for years with a well-known director who’d effectively stolen his original screenplay, tweaked it, and made it into a blockbuster hit. The dirtbag had spent more on attorneys avoiding compensating his friend than if he’d simply bought the screenplay.
Jack was too old to play that game.
The kid gunned his fancy car and peeled out of the parking lot, leaving a cloud of dust. Jack coughed and started back to the restaurant.
But as he neared the door, an idea came to him, and he pulled out his phone. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Would his luck hold out?
He tapped a quick message, then opened the door.