Troy

(Past)

My arm encircled her waist pulling her tighter into me, savoring her sweet summery scent. I was conflicted. There was a part of me that didn't want to wake her, but another part, that wanted her to share in this moment.

The sun peeked around the large rock formations leaving droplets of sparkles on the bay. The sky was fading from a dark to pale blue. It was officially morning and that meant the ferry would be leaving in a few hours.

Feeling her stir, my lips twitched and so did my heart. I brushed my nose into her cheek again gently, coaxing her to awaken. If she felt anywhere close to the way I felt then, at least for now, reality was better than any dream.

Brushing her wry hair away from her beautiful face, I watched how the morning sun made her tawny skin glow a glorious bronze.

She moaned again. My lips found the column of her neck under her thick gorgeous mane of coppery curls. She giggled softly and my heart took off.

I growled. Readjusting my aching body with a light grunt. This would have been easier in the back of my truck. If I'd known we'd make love last night, I would have put some blankets and pillows in the back of the truck, we may have had a better view of the sunrise over the ocean, but being tangled in her in the cab, naked, and not knowing what body parts were mine or hers, wasn't all bad. Somehow, this was how we fell asleep, and I loved it. Every minute of it.

Her head rested on my shoulder and she tilted it toward the shoreline where the sun peeked over the water. I'd watched this sunset many times before, over this very dock, but it never held this much significance. As beautiful as it was, it was bittersweet.

Brushing my fingers up her spine, I felt her curl into me. I felt her fingertips play with my bush of chest hair. It was a reminder of my age, something I tried not to think about, but it always seemed to float to the surface of my thoughts when I thought about us.

She was going to college, to live her life. I was going back to the restaurant, that I'd opened fifteen years ago, on the island I'd been planted in all my life. That wasn't what I wanted for her. I wanted her to see the world and everything it had to offer.

Her light hazel eyes met mine and the sun made golden and honey colored flecks in her irises. Her plump lips curved into a sleepy smile. Pink rose on her cheeks and she buried her face in my chest bashfully, causing me to let out a light chuckle, wondering what on earth could have been going through that beautiful mind of hers.

My hand slid down to her bare ripe bottom. "You sore?"

Her hand covered her mouth as she closed her eyes and then opened them again and nodded.

I remembered I had tried to be gentle, but I lost myself in her in so many ways. "I'm sorry." I adjusted again, "I think I'm sore for a different reason," I chuckled feeling a pang of guilt in my gut again.

She turned again toward the ocean, and I still could see the look in her eyes. My heart clinched.

I cradle her chin with my knuckle leading her face back to mine, “You okay?”

She shook her head slowly, and her lips curved into a slow smile, “I just don’t want this summer to end.”

I drew my lips to hers slowly kissing her lips, and lingered, savoring her soft warm lips.

“I’ll guess we’ll see each other for holidays.” Her eyes fell to my lips again, “It doesn’t have to end here.”

I swallowed thickly as my eyes fell to the worn leather seat. My willed myself to look at her and her eyes searched my mine curiously. “Scarlet, it has to end here.” I said my voice barely got above a whisper.

She looked at me with a shield of tears in her eyes. She let out an unsteady laugh, “What are you talking about, Troy?”

I took a deep breath, “Live your life Scar. Don't build it around me."

She looked up at me and her eyes narrowed," So, you want me to go?" She shook her head, "No, but last night, you said..."

I put my forehead on hers. I could almost finish her sentence and it hurt that she even thought that way. "Baby, last night was amazing." I tangled my fingers between hers feeling a hardness in the back of my throat, "Just know that your first time was with a man that knows just how special you are, and loved you enough to let you go." The last words stung my heart like a cattle brander.

She leaned into me more, pushing her breast on my chest. I loved the feel of her soft skin against mine and wanted to relish in it. If I was a selfish man, I would have asked her to marry me.

Her head fell against against my shoulder again, and she looked up at me with big eyes, "What if I don't want go?"

My chest tightened, "You have to, Scarlet."I let my head fall against the seat cushion biting my lip.

“Troy.” She implored, “There’s college online. I could stay at the restaurant, maybe work my way up to manager,” Her voice was filling with hostility, “This doesn’t have end here.”

I looked back at her, there was no way I was going to come out of this with either of our hearts intact, "I'm already living my dream, you have to live yours."

"There is still breaks, and after graduation. It doesn't have to end here. Not if we don't want it to." She looked up at me and I could see the determination in her eyes. One of the things I loved about her, but I couldn’t just let that shrivel and die here on Trenton Island.

There were two kinds of people that lived on Trenton Island, those that were stuck here, and those who were just passing through. He was only here for the summer, and in that short time she’d changed my life. I was only returning the favor, she just wasn’t going to see it that way. Even if it was the right thing.

“Scar, I,” I cradled her soft cheeks, “I’m sorry.” It was all I could say. I her head fell against my chest, and I held her. I felt the jerk of her body and then the warm drops on my chest. I couldn't be selfish, not this time. I felt my own eyes start to burn, but I was going to drive her to the ferry and say good-bye. I would open the restaurant like any other day. This was the path I chose, and it would have been selfish to make someone so young settle for that.

The sad part was, that's what it came down to. I'd had my share of regrets, I couldn't bare the thought of being one of hers.

Troy

(Past)

"Zeke, if this is another attempt to get into a girl's pants, I'm not doing it anymore. I'm trying to run a business here, not your own personal brothel."

Zeke strutted into my office like he owned the place. Damn if he didn't act like it. Our parents spoiled him. I knew my mother was turning over in her grave to see him now. He'd never worked for anything in his life, and never had any real ambition, besides video games and that god-awful band.

I knew I was partly to blame letting him perform at the restaurant, but that was to keep him out of trouble. Maybe I wouldn't have felt so bad about it, if he wasn't in summer school during the morning. He'd been screwing around and didn't get to graduate with his friends, and you would have thought that would have set fire under him. Not Zeke. You would have even thought it would stop him from making a pass at any warm bodied female within a five mile radius.

"If you'd focus half your attention on your school work, than you do on these girls, and that whiny-ass music than you'd have your diploma by now."

Zeke's mouth curved into a sarcastic smirk, "Are you done Troy?" He let out a huff, "It's for a friend."

I cradled my head. Sure it was. Zeke thought with only one head and it wasn't the one above his neck.

He barged up to my desk, his blue eyes wide and filled with what looked like a hint of sincerity. Shocker. "This is a favor. For Brit. Her friend is new in town, Brit wanted me to put in a good word."

Brittany. Zeke's only repeat lay, which translated as his girlfriend, but she had to know there were others. She must have been in complete denial, because the entire island knew.

I was all for sleeping around, after my divorce was final I flirted with any hot young thing that would flirt back, and if they wanted me they got me, but, at least, I could be honest that it wouldn't go beyond that. Zeke through out the word 'love' like ones at a strip club. I would blame it on him being young desperate and stupid, but even I knew that 'l' bomb was no joke. I didn't touch that anymore. Leona messed me up for women everywhere.

The most important thing I had, and needed was my legacy, everyone else can have the love. I'd had my fill.

"Come on. She's Brits neighbor. She doesn't know anybody." He plopped down on the chair twisting the cap off his water bottle. "She's cool. Give her a chance."

"And you want to sleep with her."

His eyes widened and he leaned forward, "Can you keep your voice down?"

I sat up in my desk chair, "She's in the dining room isn't she?" I whispered irately.

"I told her to come by around closing," The corner of his mouth twitched, "Come on. Just a quick interview, and Brit's happy, I'm happy. Everybody's happy." He threw back another swig of his water.

My nostrils flared, "So now you're the hiring manager? Now I need to put you on the payroll?"

Zeke rolled his eyes. Leaning back in the seat clutching his hands behind his head. This kid was too comfortable, and it pissed me off. I didn't have the energy to argue, I was ready to go home. He timed this right. There was no harm in just a quick interview. I wasn't sure if I wanted to hire her. I knew Zeke's routine if I did. He would beg me to give Brit and this girl separate shifts to shamelessly flirt with this new piece of ass.

I'd considered telling the girl to head for the hills. I stood up and made my way into the empty dining area. The place was closed but I was sure Zeke told her to wait. Zeke just lounged in my office while I did his dirty work. Like his big brother Trusty Troy.

* * * *

She sat at the table closest to the door, she was looking at her crossed hands on the table, but when her eyes drifted upward and she noticed me, she stood. "Hi." She offered her hand.

I strolled over to her.

She was about 5'4 give or take and slim. Her faded jeans hugged her curvy hips, she wore a tight white shirt and wore a thin flowy cardigan. It wasn't sweater weather. Maybe in the colder months where it was still warm she would have gotten away with it, but if it was an attempt to look modest, I had to say I was impressed. My eyes trailed her swanlike neck that seemed to twitch slightly. Her skin was like a honey caramel, her eyes wide, the color of dark chocolate, and were glowing pools of it. It was almost hypnotizing. Her thin face balanced with thick fluffy cheeks, and plump pink lips. She seemed about Zeke's age, a little out of his league if you would have asked me.

I snapped back into myself snatching her hand and giving it a quick firm shake, "Troy Walker, I own this establishment."

"Oh," She said, and I watched her slip a loose reddish brown curl behind her ear, the rest of her thick curls were pulled back in a ponytail, when she turned back she pushed a piece a paper at me.

"This is for me?" I said grabbing it and pulling it in my hands. My eyes grazed over it and it didn't take me long to realize what it was. It was a resume. I felt a somersault in my gut as I scratched my stubble. My lip twitched. Suddenly, I wished I was a bit more boss-like for this interview. I liked this girl

I gestured toward the table as I studied it, reading the name across the top as I sat."You have any waitress experience, Scarlett?"

She nodded not looking back up at me as she sat down at the table again, "Flying Saucer Pizzeria, in Georgia."

My lip twitched again, "Georgia, huh?"

She ran her finger over the woven bracelet over the seam of her sweater sleeve, "No Gone With the Wind jokes. I'm sorry, just gets old with me." A smile teased at her fluffy lips but she lightly bit the corner of her mouth. She looked up at me bashfully with her big brown eyes and my heart stuttered like a dope. I would need to keep her away from Zeke for sure.

I probably would have came up with a few Gone With the Wind jokes, but now I held my tongue. Obviously, too many people thought that way, "It's a beautiful name, Scarlett."

She released her lip from her teeth and her mouth curved into a half smile, "Thank you." She said softly.

"Nice bracelet." I complemented, hoping to lighten her mood. My fingers went for it when I noticed the twitch in her hand, "May I?" I looked into her eyes again. I noticed her throat shift and she nodded nervously. I slipped my finger between the braided bracelet studying the colors but focusing on her reaction. It was like any friendship bracelet with bright colors weaved together, maybe from a friend she had to leave. I had never been the new kid, but I'd seen enough people come and go to sympathize. It never seemed easy to be in a new town.

Then there was the whole timid thing, I got that she was new, but this was a job interview for a job where she had to interact with people. I planned on hiring her because she did have the experience, but with her anti-social attitude, I wondered if I'd have to put her in the back. Not that I wanted to. Not that I was checking her out or running that kind of establishment, but she was a pretty girl, big bright eyes; nice smile when she did smile. I didn't see her in the kitchen. If she would have asked I would have gladly put her back there with Nick, but something told me she didn't, or if she did she would have said something.

"Scar." She blurted bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Excuse me?"

"Everybody calls me, Scar." Her lips curved into a bigger, but still half smile.

I smiled trying to match her half smile, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Scar."

I slid my hand over hers and I swore I notice her skin tinged pink. It was actually cute. Nothing I wasn't used to. I noticed how women reacted to me. It was the same way they had reacted to me when I played football in high school. The fact that she didn't realize she was blushing over me made it that much more cute.

I slid my hand away and her fingers went toward her mouth.

"That's a bad habit." I reached for her hands again, studying them, observing her fingertips. Now, I was flirting,shamelessly, but only to help her out of her shell. I knew I had to be careful, she was still a kid and I'd had some clingy chicks come through here. Some I'd slept with, but I couldn't even think that way with this one. Not unless I wanted to catch a charge I didn't need, and I didn't sleep with employees. I was strict on myself about that. "You get nervous a lot," I said noticing her fingernails bitten back down to her fingers.

Her hand twitched to pull away and I caught it and decided to have some more fun with her, "Ever had your palm read?"

She shook her head, her eyes as wide as ever.

I tilted her hand over, and studied her palm tracing the lines. I felt her twitch and noticed the hair on her other arm standing up. I smirked studying her hand. Drifting my finger up the line that led up the heel of her palm. I felt her twitch again. I gently lifted her hand when I noticed something as her sleeve slipped away from her wrists. My heart twisted but I made sure not to show emotion about the old dark scars on her wrists, I knew all too well what they were. Nick and I had lost a friend to suicide once and we’d missed the signs.

I set her hand down on the table and she didn't pull away at all. I smiled. "You have a long lifeline."

"Um…Thank you," Her eyes narrowed.

I chuckled as I slid a finger over the top line of her hand my eyes shifted to hers. "Your heartline, says that you're giving, you are a good friend, and loyal." I cocked my head with a slow charming smile.

She pulled her hand down and dropped her head with a tense smile pushing her lips together.

I chuckled. "I guess that makes you a good employee. You'll fit right in."

She nodded looking down at the table. My fingers itched to tilt her head up toward me and tell her that she was special, or something like that, but I wondered if she'd heard that too. "Are you usually this quiet?"

Her eyes found mine again, and her throat shifted again. "Um..." She pushed her thick ponytail back, "Sometimes."

"You can talk to customers without, you know, freaking out." I chuckled.

She straightened her back and looked directly at me placing her hands in her lap, "Yes. I can do that."

I nodded. "Good. Be here at eight-thirty sharp. I don't have a dress code, but I do offer a T-shirt with a name badge to my employees. I'll have all that ready for you tomorrow."

Her eyes lit up with a smile. "Thank you, sir."

I chuckled, looking around playfully. "Is my dad's ghost creeping around again?"

Her eyes shifted awkwardly letting me know how dry that old joke was. I laughed it off. "You say sir and I'm looking for my dad. It's just Troy. We're on first name basis here."

She nodded with her usual bashful smile.

"So, I put Scar on your badge?"

"Yeah."

I stood prompting her to stand to as I offered my hand. As she placed her hand in mine I noticed a small tattoo on her other forearm. "You got a little ink there huh?"

Her eyebrow shot up, "Is that against company policy?"

I held my arms out showing her my arms covered with ink. "Seriously?" I laughed. "May I?"

She nodded turning her wrist. "A fleur de lis" Then I noticed the name Ray Docote.

She nodded brushing her tongue over her lips. "My dad is from New Orleans. He was a Jazz musician."

I heard was but I wasn't ready to get that personal. But there was one thing I was curious about. "How old are you? If you don't mind me asking."

Her lips pushed together, "How old are you?"

I smirked at her cute snarky tone, "Thirty-five. How old are you?" I cocked my head.

Her head fell. "Um...Seventeen, but I'll be eighteen next month."

I didn't know if she was lying about that, I couldn't be too sure. It was times like this I knew it would have been smarter to hire less on the honor system and more checking ID and crap like that, but the island police department didn't bother me much, even though I sold alcohol. As long as I was IDing who I served it to. Hiring kids were my way of keeping them from other shit that went on, on the island. It was my crime control.

"If you're thinking about getting more ink on your eighteenth, let me know. My guy is pretty good. He did most of mine."

I watch her eyes stroll over my arms slowly as the cover of her bottom lip slipped into her mouth. I almost wanted to take off my shirt to show her the entire thing. I was proud of my ink. It told my story. "Just let me know. Okay?"

She nodded again.

"Do you need a lift home?"

"No," She said quickly. "I'm just up the street."

Then I thought. "I could get Zeke to walk you." He knew her better than I did, for all she knew I was some creep.

"No, I'll see you at eight-thirty. Thank you."

I walked her out the door and watched her walk up the hill. I felt bad for making her walk by herself. Not that we had ever had a problem with creeps, but you never know.

Troy

(Present)

Appreciating another hum-drum day at the restaurant, I started my routine as usual and took my sweet ass time doing it. Work had been slow. Technically, it was supposed to be the cold months, and work was usually slow, but the recession had hit Trenton like one of our bad hurricanes and left everyone struggling. People were leaving, it was just bad.

Even I thought about it, but where would I go? I could have lived with Zeke, but I knew I would look out of place in his rock star life. I was guessing that was what my retirement had in store, but I was dragging my feet with that. I wasn't ready to retire at all, and I wasn't ready to leave Trenton Island. I had my plot picked out next to my mothers. I'd been here too long to leave now.

Then that was settled. Now I needed to figure out how I was going to pay bills, both at my place and here. Many times I thought about moving into the restaurant, or buying a Winnebago and camping outside. Then, I would rent out my house, that was basically the house that I grew up in. It had been passed down to me. That seemed like a good plan if I could just trust anyone enough to take care of it.

Zeke would throw a party in it every weekend, and when he was on tour he wouldn't keep it up. The sad fact was, I was stuck until I could fix my dilemma.

There was a knock on the glass door drawing my attention upward. Normally, I would have just brushed anyone away, but I was supposed to open shop thirty minutes ago. So I closed the register and walked to the door. The guy wore a pair of business slacks and a white dress shirt, so immediately I knew he wasn't from around here, and immediately I got a bad feeling about this guy, but I held in judgments.

I turned over the sign to open and invited him in. "Wow! I thought you opened at nine. Sorry. I could come back"

"No, It's fine. I'm running a little behind schedule today." I chuckled watching him walk sidled over to the bar. "What can I get you?" I asked, "It's going to take me a minute to fire up the grill."

His eyebrow lifted as he sat his hand on the var. "You don't have a cook?"

I came around the bar counter hoping to God this guy wasn't a health inspector. Not that I had anything to hide, but the fact that my chef may not have been a health issue, but it didn't look like a good thing. "Yeah. He usually gets here about ten."

"But the place opens at nine?" He pointed out

I scratched my stubble, and then ran my fingers through my hair. This guy was captain obvious. I thought to myself. "Well, we're usually pretty slow for the breakfast shift."

He nodded as his eyes scrolled the bar table as if looking for something unsanitary.

I clenched my hands together. "Can I get you anything?"

"Um...a beer."

I squinted. A beer at Nine-thirty in the morning? I flipped a mug out from the bottom of the counter. "Five o'clock somewhere, eh?"

I filled it from the tap and slid it over to him. "So what brings you over to this neck of the woods?"

He took a thick sip from his glass and set it down with both hands. "It's funny you should ask."

That was when Nick, my chef walked in. He was a heavy-set guy that always seemed to look red with sunburn. I sometimes thought maybe it was because he spent so much time around stoves and in the sun. Either way, he was a damn good chef, and he was loyal. That was what I needed. Loyalty. Sometimes, I thought he would work for peanuts, though I never wanted to test that theory.

"What's up, Troy?" He stuck up two fingers making his way toward the back.

I shot him a nod and went back to my only customer. "I'm sorry, that's my chef." I said, "If you're hungry he makes the best flapjacks in South Carolina."

"No this is fine." He tilted the glass.

"So what brings you to our little slice of paradise?" I propped my hands on the bar.

"My name is Wesley Fredricks," He offered his hand.

I shook his hand and once again a suspicious feeling gnawed at me, "Hi Wes, I'm Troy Walker, I own this place."

He sucked in a heavy breath and let it out. "I know."

I studied him wondering what he meant by that.

"I mean, a lot of people around here talk about you."

"All good I hope." I chuckled.

He took a sip of his beer. "Yes. They say you are practically the mayor here."

I chuckled leaning on the bar. "I wouldn't say that, but I am a staple around here, I guess."

His lips twitched. "Yeah."

"So what do you do for a living Mr. Fredricks?"

He took another sip. "I'm a developer."

My nostrils flared and all at once I knew exactly who he was. "And I'm not talking anymore. So you can feel free to leave. The beer is on me, with a word of advice. Go home, or where ever the hell you came from."

"Just hear me out."

I pushed in my knuckles. "I'm not going to ask you again," I growled, "Get out!"

He raised his hands, "Fine, but I'll be back and you'll need to hear me out. I think I can help you."

I grit my teeth. "Do I need to help you find the door?"

"Fine," He said, "But you'll have to consider my offer sooner or later."

"Get out!" I yelled.

"You're going to have to think about the future," He said as he scurried out the door.

"Fuck a future!" I growled charging toward the door. "Get the hell out."

"I'll be back," He said as he opened the door.

"I'll be waiting for you." I sneered.

He walked out and I saw him get into a white BMW and take off.

I ran my hand over my face. Just what I needed, I thought.

"Who was that?" Nick peeked out.

"That fucking developer." I said, "Mr. Jenson, warned me about that little prick. He's trying to push everyone out of our town and build some uppity resort."

"Damn, man!"

I sighed. Damn was right. It had always been customary for someone to kick me when I was down, and I knew at this point I had reached rock bottom, so this was right on time. I didn't know how many fights I had left in me, but I knew I couldn't let that jerk off take this place without a fight. I decided that I needed to call around and have a community meeting. He was just one guy, and we were many. I knew we would all pull together. We wouldn't let him run us all out of town. If anything, we would send him running like a puppy with its tail between its legs.