wave, ask her to join us at the long wooden table. Sam and Jason disappear and come back with beer and a tray of hamburgers and hotdogs for everyone. My stomach takes that moment to grumble. Nate and I had been up late building up an appetite, and I worked off the small bowl of cereal with all my paddling exertion.
Nate saunters in but stops to talk to some guy before he meets us at the table. I know him well enough now to see that he’s upset about something but trying to put on a happy face.
“Everything okay?” I ask quietly as he slides onto the bench next to me. Our outer thighs touch, and it’s like he’s seeking my comfort. I shift a little closer to him, needing his contact in much the same way he seems to need mine.
“Work stuff,” he says and takes a drink from his glass. “Thanks for the beer, Sam.”
“Okay,” I say and let it go. I take a drink of my own beer and find it bitter. I’m more of a wine girl, but I like sitting around the table with all these people. We’re all so different, our backgrounds, our appearances, our work, yet we all just really…fit. I’ve never really fit anywhere outside academia. For the first time in my life, I understand what it’s like to be a part of a community. Gram would have loved this right now.
Sam nudges me from my right. “Gram wouldn’t be happy to know you tried to knock her favorite grandson out of the race,” he says like he could read my thoughts.
“I thought Jason was her favorite.”
“Lies,” Sam says.
“So,” Jason begins, the seriousness in his voice gaining all our attention. “We’ve been working on something,” he says, and Nate stiffens beside me.
“I was waiting for this,” Nate whispers in my ear.
“We all put our heads together and decided we’d have an auction at the Anchor. Heather is on board.” Heather nods when I glance at her.
“What kind of auction?” Nate asks before I can.
“One to help raise a down payment for Gram’s house.” Jason pauses, and his gaze falls on me. “That way, it gets to stay in the family.”
“Guys…” I say and stop. What they’re doing is so damn sweet and touching—and I don’t want to appear unappreciative—but I don’t want them to go through the trouble for nothing. I can’t afford the mortgage even if they covered the down payment.
“What are the details,” Nate asks, jumping in to help when I sag helplessly against him. “What are you auctioning off?”
Sam grins. “Well now, that’s the fun part.”
“Fun part?” Nate asks.
“We’re auctioning off a date with a fisherman,” Jason says.
“No way,” I say as my attention flies to Nate.
“We’ve rounded up a bunch of guys who are willing, and Cody is making fliers to distribute. There are a lot of single ladies in this town with money to spend,” Jason says. “They all might be eighty, but hey, they’ll love a night out, and I can charm an eighty-year-old for an evening.”
Sam snorts. “Yeah, right, you can’t even charm a lobster if you dress up as the world’s sexiest herring.” We all laugh, and Jason gives Sam the finger.
“Or a clam whore,” Cody says, and I laugh harder. I guess everyone must have seen the sign outside the Old Fish Factory. The kids around here do get into a lot of mischief.
“Nate, however, probably lured that mouse from Kira’s room when he dressed up in the cheese wedge,” Sam says.
“That’s why we need him up there,” Izzy says. “Any man who can charm a blind cow…”
“No way,” Nate says.
“Guys, we can’t do this. It’s…sexist, isn’t it?” I ask.
“They do fireman calendars, don’t they? What’s the difference? You win a date for a good cause. I talked to Spence at the Grand Banker, and he’s going to close the restaurant for the night for a private dinner for us. The whole town wants in on it. Some are even talking about a sunset cruise.”