Sailing at Sunset - Cindi Madsen Page 0,9

off Josh’s shoulders he hadn’t even registered had been there till now. Mom had been so disappointed it hadn’t worked out with Olivia, especially since the chance of grandchildren had been dangled in front of her before being snatched away.

“What about you?” Jane asked. “It’s not too late for you to settle down, you know. Nathan has a colleague who we think would be perfect for you. She’s pretty and smart, and I really like her.”

Josh stretched his arm across the table, careful to avoid tipping glasses or dipping his sleeve in his food. “Jane, as I’ve told you, that ship has sailed. I’m already in love.”

She stuck her lips out in a pout. “With sailing? Really?”

He bit back his smug grin so she wouldn’t punch him—he’d taught her to throw her weight behind her swing, and she had a killer jab. “Yes. With sailing, freedom, the ocean, and Solitude. That’s all I need.”

While he appreciated her and Nate’s attempts to keep him from becoming a hermit, he rather enjoyed being a bachelor. He only had to leave Solitude when he felt like it, which usually ended up being to see his family, hit the market, or walk around the marina and make small talk with his ragtag group of friends, most of whom were retirement age.

With a sigh, Jane let go of the matchmaking subject. They finished dinner, and he slipped the waiter his credit card before the couple across from him could.

As they walked outside, Josh congratulated them again on the baby. Then he headed home, his thoughts on his swaying house, comfy bed, and cool pillow.

Except when he arrived at the marina, there was a party going on. Come to think of it, he’d seen a flyer.

“Josh!” Tinsley ran up to him. She was in her mid-twenties, owned her own jewelry line, and had rented a slip near the marina entrance a couple of months ago. Her boat was decked out with “fairy lights,” which meant tiny and blinky, and she could turn a one-syllable word into five. She also referred to boat living as “glamping.”

Once the weather turned cold, he’d be shocked if Tinsley stayed, but for now, she’d taken to throwing community “mixers.” Not parties. Those were for old people, apparently.

“You never RSVPd,” Tinsley said, the beaded bracelets on her wrist rattling as she gesticulated. “So I didn’t think you’d be coming. But don’t worry. I always plan for extra guests.”

“Ah, thanks, Tinsley, but I’m only passing through. Got a job early tomorrow I need to rest up for. I thought I’d just swing by George and Nancy’s, and then—”

“Oh, didn’t you hear?” Tinsley twisted a blond strand of hair round and round her finger.

Josh’s lungs deflated as her question hung in the air. One of the downsides of his closest friends being in their early seventies was worrying about their health.

“They sailed down south for their granddaughter’s sweet sixteenth birthday party.” Tinsley’s mouth formed an excited O and her hands went to swinging again, punctuating her words. “She’s totally having a big party on the boat with all of her friends. Can you imagine how grumpy George is gonna be on a boat full of teenagers?”

Tinsley’s laugh echoed through the cool night air, and Josh found himself chuckling along. George was a bit of a curmudgeon. It was one of Josh’s favorite things about him.

A guy with dark hair walked up behind Tinsley and slid his arms around her middle. Before now, Josh had never seen the man bun in action. He supposed it fit the guy, if that was a thing that could be said about buns and dudes.

“Josh, meet my boyfriend, Sergio. Sergio, Josh.”

Well, Nancy would be sad to hear that Tinsley was off the market. She’d been not-so-subtly hinting how cute Tinsley was, while Josh straightforwardly informed the woman that Tinsley was way too young for him, even if he had been searching for a girlfriend.

Josh shook Sergio’s hand and muttered a “Nice to meet you.” Sergio suggested hitting the dance floor, extending a pity invite his way, and Josh immediately felt like a senior citizen. His dancing days had been short-lived and coerced, to say the least. The idea of dating and dancing…it all exhausted him.

“That’s okay,” Josh said. “You two go on ahead.”

“Sure you won’t stay?” Tinsley asked as Sergio tugged her toward the steady beat of an unrecognizable song. “I made kale kombucha smoothies that’ll power you up for your trip tomorrow.”

Josh dodged the smoothie question and wished