Four Good

“Oh, let me see … I guess it’s been about five years. They were just starting their business and contacted me to take photos for their website and other marketing stuff. I drove up to meet them, spent the weekend with them, and we’ve been buddies ever since.”

“They seem like great guys,” I say.

After a pause, he says, “They are.” He doesn’t sound disingenuous or resentful, but there’s something complicated in his tone.

19

One night wasn’t enough

It takes about an hour to get to Seacoast Island. During the ride, I learn more about Jay’s career. It turns out he’s quite in demand as a photographer, and has also won several competitions. He doesn’t brag about himself; the Hayes brothers supply most of the details during our conversations.

When all four men are together, Jay almost seems like he could be their brother. They clearly know each other well, and are completely at ease with one another, despite my presence potentially being a complication.

Our plan is to explore the island, which is uninhabited and therefore a popular site for beachcombing and wildlife sighting, and then return to the yacht for lunch. During the summer season, ferries bring vacationers to the island, but today, aside from our boat, there are only a few other small watercraft moored at the dock.

I take off my shoes to walk along the nearly-deserted beach. It’s much too cold to get my feet wet, but the dry sand is warm from the sun, and there’s something so relaxing about being in my bare feet on a beach, no matter how many times I’ve done it.

The men keep pace with me, slowing and stopping whenever I bend down to inspect a pretty shell or some other interesting debris from the ocean. We go quite a long way before turning around. After we reach our starting point and continue on to the other section of beach, Jonathan spots an elevated wooden walkway that zigzags inland, and suggests we see what we can find on the other side of the dunes.

Jay takes out his camera and starts snapping pictures as he, Jonathan, and Brendan lead the way. When my legs get tired and I slow my pace, Corbin hangs back with me.

“Want to sit for a while?” he asks as we approach a bench.

I smile over at him, noticing how the sun creates a golden halo around his head. “No, that’s okay. I just want to take my time.”

“I can understand why you’d be tired,” he teases. “You lost quite a bit of sleep the night before last.”

Something flutters in my belly at the memory, and I smile. “I’m probably just tired because I’m old.”

“Mmm,” he says, shaking his head, “no one who had the endurance you did that night can call themselves old.”

“It was quite a night.”

“Are you okay with Jay being along today?” Corbin asks, changing his tone abruptly. “I know that wasn’t part of the plan.”

“It’s fine,” I say.

“I would have called you before bringing him here. I can’t believe none of us thought to get your number.

“It’s okay. Really.”

We’re on an incline, and my heart is starting to pound in my chest. I turn back toward the beach and stop, using the view as an excuse to rest for a minute. “This island is really beautiful,” I say, taking in a deep breath of the salty air.

“You’re beautiful,” Corbin says as he steps closer and begins to caress my back.

His proximity is doing nothing to help slow my racing heart. Even though I probably shouldn’t, I lean into his touch and let my eyes close.

“The sun makes your skin glow, and it’s torturing me how good you look today,” he says. After a long pause, he adds, “I really want to kiss you right now.”

The words “we shouldn’t” come to mind, but I can’t bring myself to vocalize them. Instead, I turn my head toward him and meet his eyes. He bends to duck under the wide rim of my sun hat, and brings his lips to mine, softly at first, before he opens and takes my mouth with more hunger.

“What if Jay sees?” I say, pulling back a fraction.

He turns to look up the path. “He’s out of sight. It’s not a problem.” His arm brings my body against his as his mouth returns for more. His tongue brushes softly against my lip, and when I meet it with my tongue, he slides his over mine, reminding me of other ways our bodies came together that night.

We carry on this way for a minute or two, pausing only for Corbin to say, “One night with you wasn’t enough, Christine.”

When I find myself grasping a fistful of his t-shirt, I realize we need to stop. As I pull away, something red catches my eye up the path. It’s Jay. He’s taken off his jacket, exposing a red shirt beneath. He’s staring right at us with an expression I can’t read from this distance, but could probably guess if I had to.