the city. When I was younger, I used to pretend we were in a dome. Like a terrarium of sorts.”
“It is a very peaceful place,” he said.
“Sometimes, especially after a particularly long week, a little bit of peace is necessary. What do you do to unwind after a long week?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I go down to the beach.”
“Do you surf?”
He scoffed. “No. It’s the hair, right?”
I grinned. “It’s a little bit the hair. What do you do on the beach?”
“I walk. I swim. I just kind of chill.”
“Do you live near the beach?”
His coy smile told me he did. “You could say that.”
“Stop being so cagey. You have one of those big beachfront mansions?”
“It’s not as big as some of the others. I preferred more land and less house.”
My eyes widened. “Oh my god, you are being serious!”
“Yes, I am. Why would I lie?”
I turned to look at him, making a big show as I did. “The boat business is that good?”
“It is,” he said with a soft smile as he nodded.
“That explains a lot,” I said, putting all the pieces together.
“What does?”
“You are one of those wealthy, eccentric types.”
“I don’t think I’m eccentric at all. I like to keep to myself. I don’t go out a lot. I don’t care to go out a lot.”
“Because you don’t like people. I remember. Do you live in San Diego?”
“Yes,” he answered. “I live in the La Jolla area.”
“Wow, no kidding. I grew up in the general area. Not in one of those big fancy mansions on the beach but the general area.”
“I grew up on base mostly. We did finally move off base to a house just outside the city.”
“That’s pretty cool. Which base?”
“Pendleton,” he answered.
“Oh, yes, I know where that is.”
He smirked but didn’t say anything about it. “Can I ask how old you are?” he asked with slight discomfort.
“Why do you want to know that?”
“Because you look young,” he answered. “Maybe a little too young. I don’t want to be accused of anything.”
“I’m twenty-eight, plenty old enough. How old are you?”
“Thirty-two.”
“What do you think you would be accused of?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. It always surprises me.”
“Are you saying you have been accused of doing things with young girls before?” I asked, only half-joking.
“Fuck no!” he answered. “It’s more about young women see me and think I’m their ticket to an easy life.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Now you are trying to piss me off.”
“No,” he quickly said, turning on the bench to face me. “I’m not trying to do that at all. I don’t think you are doing that. I’m saying the younger ones, they tend to do that.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “Yes. They get this idea we are going to date and I’m going to fall all over them because they are young and interested in me. I’m not a fucking dinosaur just yet.”
I smiled, having a new understanding of him. “I imagine there are some ladies, young and old, who would be attracted to the money. I’m not.”
“Then why did you talk to me?”
“I talk to everyone. You intrigued me. I didn’t know who you were. Honestly, I thought you were one of the ship laborers.”
He burst into laughter. “Really?”
“Yes, really.”
“And you still talked to me?”
“I’m not like that,” I told him. “I really am not interested in anything. I just saw a guy who, for whatever reason, appealed to my need to want to help. Not help but get to know.”
“Am I charity?”
“No. I can’t explain it.”
He didn’t seem convinced. “Me either.”
We sat for a bit longer before we decided to make our way back down the trail. I asked if he wanted to visit the gardens, but he declined. I had pushed him enough for one day. “Was it terrible?” I asked when we reached our cars.
“Was what terrible?”
“Taking a walk with me?”
He offered me a very small smile. “No, it wasn’t terrible.”
“Can I borrow your phone for a second?”
He frowned. “Why?”
I held out my hand. “Paranoid much? I’m going to put my number in.”
“Oh,” he answered and fished it out of the pocket of his cargo shorts. He handed it to me after unlocking the screen.
“Call me if you would like to do this again,” I said and handed him his phone.
“Would you like to do it again?” he asked as if it was completely crazy.
“Yes, I would. Maybe we can get to one of the gardens next time.”
He stared at his phone. “I would like that. Should I give you my