See Me(21)

“Pretty cool, huh?” Serena called over her shoulder.

“It’s certainly crowded.”

“It’s an experience. Come on!”

They climbed the creaking steps to the rooftop. Emerging into the sun, Maria squinted under a cloudless sky. Unlike in the restaurant downstairs, the tables up here were occupied by adults unwinding with open bottles of beer or mixed drinks in front of them. Three waitresses in shorts and black tank tops scurried among the customers, efficiently picking up empties and dropping off drinks. Half the tables had tin pails filled with crab legs, and she watched as diners cracked the shells to get to the meat.

“We’re in luck,” Serena said. “There are two seats at the bar.”

The bar was on the far side, partially covered with a rusting tin awning and fronted by ten stools. Maria followed Serena, winding between the tables in the fierce sun. It was cooler in the shade of the bar’s awning, though, and as they took their seats, she could feel the salt-tinged breeze lifting the long hair off her neck. Over Serena’s shoulder, Maria could see the waves breaking on the shore, blue changing suddenly to white and back again. Even though it was almost dinnertime, hundreds of beachgoers still frolicked in the water or sprawled on towels. The pier was jammed with people leaning over the railing with their fishing poles, waiting for something to strike. Serena took in the scene before swiveling back to Maria.

“Admit it,” Serena challenged. “This is exactly what you needed. Say that I was right.”

“Fine. You were right.”

“I love it when you say that,” she crowed. “Now let’s get something to drink. What are you in the mood for?”

“Just a glass of wine.”

“No, no, no,” Serena declared, suddenly shaking her head. “You’re not having a glass of wine here. This isn’t a glass-of-wine kind of place. We need to do something… beachy, like we’re on vacation. A pi?a colada or margarita or something like that.”

“Seriously?”

“You really have to learn to live a little.” Serena leaned over the bar. “Hey, Colin! Can we get a couple of drinks?”

Maria hadn’t noticed the bartender and her eyes followed Serena’s. Dressed in faded jeans and a white collared shirt rolled to the elbows, he was finishing up an order for a waitress on the far side. Maria noticed automatically that he was exceptionally fit, with well-defined shoulders tapering down to narrow hips. He wore his hair very short, almost in a buzz cut that revealed an intricate tattooed ivy design wrapping around the back of his neck. Though his back was turned, Maria was impressed by how efficiently he moved as he readied the cocktails. She leaned toward her sister.

“I thought you said you’ve never been here before.”

“I haven’t.”

“Then how do you know the bartender’s name?”

“My friend works here.”

At Serena’s answer, the bartender turned. With his face partially shadowed, his features weren’t immediately visible, and it wasn’t until he stepped closer that Maria noticed the fading bruise on his cheek and all at once, it came together. The bartender froze for a second as well, no doubt mirroring her own thoughts: You’ve got to be kidding. In the awkward moment that followed, Maria had the impression that while he wasn’t thrilled by Serena’s surprise, he wasn’t necessarily upset by it, either. He resumed his approach until he was standing right in front of them. Leaning forward, he rested his hand on the bar, revealing the sculpted, colorfully tattooed muscle of his forearm.

“Hey, Serena,” he said. His unhurried, confident voice was exactly as Maria remembered. “You decided to come.”

Serena seemed content to act as though she hadn’t orchestrated the whole scenario. “I figured, why not? It’s a gorgeous day!” She spread her arms wide. “What a great place! You were right about the view from up here. It’s incredible. Has it been busy today?”

“I’ve been overrun.”

“No wonder. Who wouldn’t want to come on a day like today? Oh, by the way, this is my sister, Maria.”

Colin’s gaze met hers, unreadable except for a trace of amusement somewhere in its depths. Up close, his appearance was nothing like it had been on the night he’d changed her tire; with his high cheekbones, blue-gray eyes, and long lashes, it was easy to imagine him picking up almost any woman he wanted. “Hi, Maria,” he said, extending his hand across the bar. “I’m Colin.”

She took his hand in hers, feeling a restrained strength in his grip. Letting go, she watched as his gaze flickered from her to Serena and back again.

“What can I get you?” he asked.

Serena studied them both before finally propping her elbows on the bar. “How about a couple of pi?a coladas?”

“Coming right up,” he said easily. Turning around, he grabbed the blender and bent over to reach into the refrigerator, his jeans growing tight around his thighs. Maria watched as he added the ingredients before turning her narrowed gaze on Serena.

“Really?” Maria said, more a statement than a question.

“What?” Serena asked, sounding pleased with herself.

“This is why we came? Because you wanted us to meet?”

“You’re the one who said you never had a chance to thank him. Now’s your chance.”