A Walk Along the Beach(18)

    Sean was the exception. Almost from the time he’d started showing up, I’d felt drawn to him. When my sister suggested that he was interested in me, I’d wanted to believe it but dared not hope. I didn’t want to set myself up for disappointment. Even now, I wasn’t sure what it was about him that I found so compelling. Yes, he was attractive in a boyish sense. I liked that he wasn’t overconfident and had downplayed his success.

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’d gone online soon after meeting him and checked out his website. I soon discovered that he’d worked all around the world and taken photographs for major corporations, done catalog shoots, and had several magazine cover photos—including more than one for National Geographic. Sean was successful, and yet he’d never once bragged about his work or made it apparent he was as well known as he was. I couldn’t help but admire that about him.

Sean opened the rear door of his car and a midsize dog leaped from the backseat. I recognized him as the stray I’d fed a couple of times. Sean had him by a leash. Once out of the vehicle, Bandit paused and looked around. Sitting on his haunches, he turned his head and looked back at Sean.

Bending down on one knee, Sean spoke to him softly, rubbed his ears, and then righted himself. “Bandit is nervous and needed a bit of reassurance.”

    “Why is he nervous?” I asked, joining him as we sauntered toward the beach, Bandit leading the way.

“Preston and I suspect his previous owner brought him into town and abandoned him. Bringing him back here, I think he’s afraid I’m going to do the same thing.”

“Poor Bandit.” I bent forward and gently stroked his fur. He looked at me with deep brown worried eyes. “You have nothing to be afraid of, fella,” I told him.

Once we reached the beach, we found it crowded with the normal summer population. Kids raced, kicking up sand as they flew kites up and down the beach. Several cars were parked up from the surf and there was a line of multicolored umbrellas offering shade. The remains of sandcastles littered the area as we walked side by side, Bandit taking the lead.

After a bit, Sean reached for my hand.

“I missed seeing you this morning,” I said, “which is silly, because I knew you’d be by later.”

“I nearly came in.”

“Why didn’t you?”

He chuckled. “The truth? I thought I might look a bit overeager, which I confess I was.”

I smiled to myself, not wanting him to know how much I’d been looking for him to show even though I now knew he wasn’t a coffee drinker.

“I’m going out of town on Thursday. I’ll be gone all day and probably won’t return until late.”

“Where are you headed?”

“A small town in eastern Washington called Toppenish. Have you ever heard of it?”

I didn’t know that I had. “Maybe,” I ventured.

“I have an assignment to shoot town murals, and apparently Toppenish is known for them.”

    “That sounds interesting.” Another day, possibly two, without my Sean fix.

“I’ll need to bring Bandit with me. It’s going to be a long day, so if I don’t show up for a couple of days, you’ll know why.”

So I was right. “You travel a lot, don’t you?”

“On occasion. I’m waiting on a big assignment but got word this morning of another assignment I’d be foolish to refuse. The big one is in the Philippines, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to come through for another couple of months. I have another planned on spec in Bolivia.”

He wasn’t kidding. He got around. “How long will you be in South America?”

“A couple of weeks.”

“That long?” I asked, before I could hold it back.

His hand squeezed mine. “Will you miss me?”

“I think I will.”

Bandit tugged on his leash, disliking our slower pace. The wind whipped around us and the scent of the ocean wafted along the beach. Seagulls flew with the wind current. I saw a pretty shell and bent down to retrieve it.

“What about Bandit?” I asked. “Who’s going to watch him while you’re away for an extended time period?” I’d volunteer if I could, but that was impossible. Not with the no-pet policy and my hours at the café.

“Preston’s got someone lined up for me. A boy by the name of Logan Hoffert. It seems he trained a puppy Keaton gave him a few years back and is quite good with dogs.”

“I know Logan. In fact, his mother was in today for lunch. Logan will do a great job.”

“Preston said the same thing.”

Winding my arm around his elbow, I asked him the same question he’d posed to me. “Will you miss me while you’re away?”

    He grinned down at me, holding my gaze. “Like crazy. I’m already dreading the one day when I’ll be in Toppenish.”

If we were going to be in a relationship, and that was a big if, then I would need to adjust to his traveling schedule. The same applied to him. Sean would need to accept my irregular hours.

“Hey, I’ve got an idea,” Sean said, stopping abruptly, his eyes brightening. “Come with me.”

“With you? Where?”