Geoducks Are for Lovers (31 page)

He glances between them, shakes his head, and walks away.

“Poor Ben. He never did get my humor.” Maggie giggles. Walking out of the laundry room, she sees Gil standing by the windows, looking out over the water. Footsteps echo in the hall as the last of the gang disappears through the open front door, the luggage pile greatly decreased.

She takes a deep breath before joining Gil. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

“Hi,” she repeats.

“Isn’t this how we started out this weekend?” He squeezes her fingers.

“Was that only a few days ago? It’s hard to believe.”

“It was. Four days ago. Under a hundred hours.”

“A hundred hours? You counted the hours?”

He nods, then lets go of her hand, and wraps an arm around her shoulders. Thinking he’s going to make another romantic declaration, she leans closer to him.

Leaning down he whispers into her ear, “I did the math in my head.”

“That’s not romantic.”

“You didn’t want romance, remember? You want friendship. Friends admit they’ve got no game.” He grins at her as she pretends to pull away from his embrace.

She doesn’t want romance because she doesn’t want the complications. She wants friends with no game and comfortable embraces. She nods.

“Right. I chose the blue pill.”

“
The Matrix
it is, then. We stay in the world of friends.”

“Nice catch on the pill comment. I made some Agent Smith reference the other day to John and he didn’t get it. He thought I meant
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
.”

“That proves he isn’t the man for you, Maggie May.”

Her old nickname makes her smile. “I’m still Maggie May?”

“You always have been, even when I didn’t say it out loud. Once a Maggie May, always a Maggie May.”

“Once and always,” she echoes him.

Turning so he can gaze into her eyes, he repeats the words again, “Once and always.”

Tears prick at her eyes and she hugs him to hide her watery eyes.
Gah
, she is going to miss him.

“I’m going to miss you, too.” He rubs circles on her back.

She smiles, knowing he read her mind. He knows her so well.

A cough from behind them breaks their bubble.

“Um, yeah, sorry to interrupt, but the others sent me in here to remind you we need to, um, get down to the ferry line.” Ryan couldn’t sound more awkward.

Maggie wipes her cheeks and notices Gil’s eyes are glistening.

“Sweet of the cowards to make the new guy come in and do their dirty work,” Gil calls out, loud enough to carry outside. There is a shuffling sound as multiple pairs of feet move away from the front door.

“Again, sorry.” Ryan turns and walks out the door, grabbing the last of the luggage.

Inhaling deeply, Maggie faces Gil. 

“I really will miss you.”

“You say this like we won’t ever be in touch. It’s not 1990. We have cell phones and the internet, and freeways and ferries. I know where you live.” He rambles on a bit before she places her index finger on his lips.

“I promise I won’t disappear. I owe Selah a trip to Portland and can probably do some restaurant reviews while I’m there. I’ll make a week of it.”

“Okay, my ego is not happy to be the add-on to work and Selah, but since we are doing the friend thing, I’ll nod and say give me a call when you’re in town.” 

Seeing his frown, Maggie attempts to backtrack. “I didn’t mean it that way. I didn’t want to give you mixed messages and… fuck. I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“Neither do I.” He begins walking out the front door, her following behind him. “We’ve never had the awkward morning after goodbye. Let’s say goodbye, wave, and pretend we’ll see each other next weekend. We know we’ll all be together in six weeks at the reunion. We’ll chat in between and hopefully be cool when we see each other again.”

Chewing on her thumbnail, Maggie listens to him, trying to agree with him. It sounds like a good, logical plan, but her mind and her heart are anything but logical right now. She wants to be cool. She wants to beg him to stay. A tug of war rages between her head and her heart so she says nothing.

“Nod if you agree,” Gil breaks into her thoughts.

Nodding, she follows him outside where the others are gathered around the cars, waiting to say good-bye. Anxiety makes her heart race. “I hate goodbyes. I’m going to say that now.” She stands up straight and squares her shoulders as she faces her friends.

Selah comes over first and hugs her. “Sweet girl, I know. Be kind to yourself. Nothing has to be figured out today,” she whispers in Maggie’s ear before stepping back.

Hugging everyone and thanking them for coming is almost more than she can handle. Promises are made to see each other at the reunion. Even knowing she’ll be with them in a few weeks doesn’t help. She doesn’t want them to go. 

The last person not in a car is Gil. He steps forward and kisses her at the corner of her mouth. Opening her palm, he places something warm and hard in her hand before closing her fingers around it. 

“In case you forget and need a reminder.” 

Glancing down, she sees a perfect wishing rock. When she looks back up, Gil is getting in the car and everyone waves their goodbyes as they depart.

After closing his door, Gil sees her bring the rock up to her mouth and kiss it before closing her eyes. He wonders if she made a wish and what her wish might be.

“What did you give Maggie from your pocket?” Selah asks as she turns toward the main road.

“What she needs most. Hope and faith.”

Twenty-eight

Walking back into the house, Maggie expects to enjoy the quiet and return to normal. Instead, she looks around, seeing emptiness and hearing the overwhelming silence. She whistles for Biscuit and grabs her keys. Coffee, she needs coffee. 

When she gets into the car, she realizes she’s still holding Gil’s wishing rock, so she places it on the dashboard. Seeing it makes her smile, and her heart clenches in a sweet, but painful way. Sweet Gil.

No one is in line at Fellowship of the Bean as she pulls up in Bessie. Biscuit barks a greeting to Jonah from his position as co-pilot.

“Hey guys,” Jonah greets them while handing Maggie a squirrel-shaped dog cookie.

“Hiya. Can I get an iced mocha, light on the syrup?” 

Jonah gives her a look. “I know how you take your mochas, Maggie.” 

“Right, of course.” She smiles at him.

“Distracted? Where’s the merry band of fools you were with yesterday?”

“Sitting in the ferry line probably. They all left a little while ago.”

“House too quiet for you?” Inside the tiny building, Jonah focuses on the espresso machine in front of him.

Maggie scrunches up her face.
Does everyone read her so well?
“Yeah, I guess. Plus, we had a pitcher of Bloody Caesars with brunch. If I drink alcohol early in the day, I need a nap. I’m hoping the caffeine will tide me over for a bit.”

“I hear you. Was over in town last night to see a steampunk band and missed the last boat. Had to drive around and didn’t get home until three o’clock. My ass is dragging today.” He finishes her drink. “Whip?”

“Yes, please.”

“Whip kind of mood. Sure you only needed the caffeine?” He winks at her.

“Maybe. Maybe not. The house is quiet. My life is quiet. Being around old friends made me think about stuff, you know?”

“I do. You know where to find me if you ever need an ear. Or to think about stuff out loud. I’ve learned a lot about people and human nature standing in this hut.”

“I can only imagine. You must have all the dirt on everyone. You’re practically a drive-up gossip booth.”

“You don’t want to know.” Jonah laughs, and then shudders. “Here’s your mocha. You and Biscuit should take a drive, enjoy the sun. Heard the rain is coming back this week.”

Maggie hasn’t paid attention to the news or weather report this weekend. She groans. “It is? Already?”

“Yeah, for a couple of days. Or so they say. Don’t want to freak people out that summer is almost over.”

“Hush. We have another month of summer, according to the ferry schedule and the calendar.”

“Oh, I’m not wanting the season to be over. I’ll cut my hours come November. Thinking about heading down to Mexico for a few weeks over winter.”

“Eek. No coffee hut coffee? You’re my salvation.” Maggie frowns.

“Never fear, you won’t be cut off from coffee entirely. Red Cat will be open and I won’t be gone forever. You can survive a few weeks without me.”

Jonah’s “few weeks” comment reminds Maggie of the upcoming reunion.
Reunion. Gil.
She bites her lip thinking about him and his parting words.

“Earth to Maggie.” Jonah waves his hand outside the hut. 

“Hey, sorry.” She reaches for her purse and realizes she doesn’t have it. Or her wallet. “Um, oops. I don’t have any money on me.”

“You’re out of it. No problem. Pay me tomorrow. Or this week. Or whenever. You’re good for it.” After making a note on a pad next to the register, he smiles at her. “Maybe you need a nap more than you think.”

“Sorry. Thinking about the weekend. I’ll get you the money this week.”

Looking in her rear-view mirror, she spots a car waiting behind her. “I’m holding up the line. I’ll catch you later. Thanks for the coffee.” She waves and puts Bessie into gear.

“Drive or a walk with Babe?” She asks Biscuit. He barks his excitement, but she isn’t sure to which part. “Babe?” Biscuit barks again and lifts his paw.

“Babe it is. You must be pining.”

Driving past the fields on the way to the beach road, Maggie can see clouds gathering beyond the sun dappled water. It’s been so dry and sunny here, she actually misses the rain. A good rainy day will suit her mood.

* * *

The ferry line slowly edges down the hill to the dock. Based on their location, Gil figures they should be waiting two more boats. Once they come to another stop and Selah turns off the engine again, Quinn gets out of the car to investigate an ice cream slash coffee shop. 

“How does he stay slim?” Selah asks the car in general.

“Freakish metabolism,” Ryan answers from the back seat of her Explorer. “Bastard.”

She laughs. “Bastard is right. He eats nothing but crap.”

“I swear he burns it all off with creative thinking. Or something.” He winks.

Gil zones out in the front passenger seat, holding his phone. He has a full signal, and knows he should check voicemail and his texts. Instead he scrolls through some of the pictures he took this weekend—casual snapshots taken when no one was paying attention. There are a few of Quinn’s Trojan dog and the Lost Boys, but his favorites are of Maggie laughing—the red in her hair flaming in the sunlight. She is a glorious thing to behold with her head thrown back and her eyes shut in full laughter.

Selah leans over and taps his screen. “That’s a great shot. You should print that, maybe even frame it. You know what they say about lasting longer.” Poking him in the shoulder, she teases him.

His thumb hovers over the image for a second longer before he swipes it across the screen, revealing a picture of Selah sucking on a crab claw. It’s more than a little pornographic.

“I was thinking of this one for a collage for the reunion.” Turning the phone so she can see it fully, he arches his eyebrow.

“You wouldn’t dare. I am a respected professor!” Her indignation is a front. 

“Yes, but the people at the reunion know the truth about you, and your past.”

“You do have a point. Can you do something about the double chin?” Patting her chin, she stretches out her neck, and looks into the rear-view mirror, examining herself.

“Your neck is fine,” Ryan observes. “Nothing a few collagen injections and a small bit of liposuction couldn’t fix. Then again some men find waddles sexy.” His smile gives him away.

“Hey, you, Mister New Guy, no talking about women’s waddles.”

“Doctor New Guy, thank you.”

Quinn comes back to the car, carrying a tray of ice cream and a giant, frothy, frozen drink. 

“You scream, I scream…” He hands out cups of ice cream.

“Um, thanks Quinn. No sprinkles?” Gil takes a cup of chocolate.

“No sprinkles or for Ryan, Jimmies.” Quinn finishes handing out ice cream to everyone.

Cars begin to head up the hill as the ferry unloads. Selah starts the car when the line moves down the hill after the next boat is loaded. They stop short of the ticket booth and she turns off the engine. “Who wants to take bets on whether or not our island recluse friend will show at the reunion?”

No one raises their hand at first. 

Thinking about his parting words to Maggie at the cabin, Gil slowly raises his hand.

“Sweet man.” Selah pats his arm. “So, that’s one yes, and three noes?”

“Not great odds, but better than no chance at all. I think progress was made this weekend.” Nodding more to himself than anyone else, Gil goes back to eating his ice cream.

“By progress, you mean the fucking, right?” Quinn asks.

“Nice, Q, nice.” Gil tosses his spoon at Quinn.

“Sorry. The lovemaking? Better?”