“Glad I could help.” Mac threw a towel over his shoulder. “Tell me what I can get you.”
“I think I’ll have a turkey club sandwich and some fries.”
“Just one?” His eyebrows arched.
“Yes, Grey had to go pick up some things. I’m eating solo today.” I glanced around the bar. There was a couple on the sunset deck drinking margaritas and a guy in the corner wearing a plaid shirt.
“Ok, one sandwich and fries coming up.” He turned to punch my order into the computer.
“So what have I missed since I’ve been gone?” I settled onto the bar stool. Mac always had the best inside scoop on island news.
“Have you talked to Marin?”
I laughed. “Yes, I saw her the first day.”
“Good. Didn’t think I could keep that news from you. Don’t know if I’ve ever seen anyone so happy, but she swore me to secrecy until you got here.”
“I think it’s the best news. She and Pick are great together.”
“Hold on one second, Eden. I’ve got a customer I need to check on.” Mac excused himself from behind the bar and walked to the corner opposite the makeshift stage.
I thought back to my first night in South Padre. This is where I met Pick and Connor. After playing pool with them all night, I felt like we had gone to high school together or maybe even grew up on the same street. Things were a little awkward with Connor once he realized all my attention was on Grey, and then there was that situation when I found out Grey used to date Connor’s sister. But the island and the circle of friends were too small to let those things create bad feelings. We let it go.
I turned my attention to Mac. His voice rose from the corner, but I couldn’t pick up the conversation. He returned to the bar, slightly flushed in the face.
“Everything ok?” I wasn’t sure I had seen the easy-going bartender agitated.
He pulled the towel from his shoulder and wiped the bar until I was certain he could see his reflection. He huffed. “Yes everything is fine. I shouldn’t let people get under my skin. Nothing to worry about.”
Mac was saying all the right things, but his gestures proved otherwise.
“You sure?” I didn’t mean to pry, but the customer had obviously said something to upset him.
“I sent that guy on his way. We don’t need people here poking around about business opportunities and real estate. Just makes my blood boil.”
“Oh.” No wonder Mac was upset. He liked the island the way it was. He didn’t have much patience for outsiders who wanted to alter the landscape.
“Orders up!” the cook yelled from the kitchen window.
Mac pivoted on his heels then extended his arm to grab my lunch.
“Here you go. All ready for you.”
I handed him my credit card.
He waved it off. “No, this one’s on the house.”
“Mac, I don’t need you to do that.” I tried to shove my debit card into his hand.
“It’s a welcome home present.” He smiled and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
There was no way I was getting him to accept it now. “Well, thank you. I like the way that sounds.”
“What’s that?”
“Home.” I smiled.
He chuckled. “I’m glad you moved here, girl. Don’t be a stranger.”
“I won’t. Thanks for lunch.” I picked up the white paper sack and headed to the Palm Palace office.
I unlocked the door and settled behind the desk, ready to dig into the fries. There were splotchy grease stains seeping through the paper. I could run this evening on the beach, and throw in a yoga session for good measure. I hadn’t asked Grey yet about his gym. I would need some place to work out if I was going to eat Pete’s fries for lunch on a regular basis.
I checked my email to see if any of the hotel sites I emailed this morning had responded. My inbox was full of promotional coupons, but nothing from the advertisers. I reminded myself this was a marathon, not a sprint. It would take awhile to make contacts and start a campaign for the motel.
Grey had multiple offers from developers who wanted to buy the Palm Palace. They all had the same plan: snatch up the 1950s motel, demolish it, and build a high-rise condominium complex. He could have walked away from the money pit and cashed in a fortune, but he argued that wasn’t the reason Pops left it to him. It was the only piece of a family legacy he had, and I wasn’t about to screw that up. We could make the Palm something amazing. I unwrapped the foil from my turkey sandwich and took a big bite.
The office door opened, and a man whose shoulders filled the frame walked through the door. It wasn’t until he was inside and the silhouette from the sun vanished that I recognized him as the guy sitting in the corner at Pete’s.
I covered my mouth with my hand as I tried to chew and swallow the enormous bite of sandwich I had stuffed in my mouth.
He had a deep laugh. “Don’t worry. I won’t ask you a hundred questions while you’re eating lunch.” He pulled up a chair and planted himself in front of the desk.