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Before Ronan could ask any more questions, Gus backed away, returning to the shadows. "I have to go. I've got loose lips; said too much already."
He hurried back onto his boat, and the motor roared to life as he sped away into the darkness. Stunned, I stood there beside Ronan, my mouth wide open.
I turned and asked, "What do you think about that? Whispering Bluffs, a mystery envelope, and a shadowy handyman. Who knew Blue Harbor had secrets like this?"
A faint smile appeared on Ronan's face. "It is curious, and I intend to get to the bottom of it. Great-Uncle Ian didn't lead me here for nothing. He wants to share something with me, and I intend to find it."
As we strolled back toward the Grand Harbor Hotel, the streetlights cast long shadows on the brick streets, giving my hometown a serene, almost magical, atmosphere. Ronan walked at my side, his steps deliberate and steady, while my thoughts raced in a hundred different directions at once.
Ronan broke the silence between us while we waited at a corner for a stoplight to change. "So, Tyler… what made you decide to come to Blue Harbor?"
I glanced at him. "Oh, it wasn't my decision. My family moved here when I was in sixth grade. Dad got a job offer he couldn't refuse. We'd been living in the city, so it was quite a change. Now, I can't imagine being anywhere else."
"You came back after you went to college for your teaching degree?"
"Yes, the combination offer of coaching baseball and teaching history made it irresistible. And the town… I guess I'm in love with it."
Ronan nodded. "I understand. There is a certain kind of charm here, like its own unique world."
The light changed, and we crossed the street. I smiled at Ronan's response, but my mind was already on other subjects. What's going on? I can't concentrate, and it feels like my heart's about to burst out of my chest. Is this the excitement of an unexpected friendship, or something more… Getting to know another guy had never made me feel this way, not even when I first met Dawson, my old best friend.
When we stopped at the next corner, Ronan shared a story. "When I was a kid, my parents used to take us on trips to a small town about twenty miles outside of the city. It was a little like this, called Millfield, and being a kid, I loved the old-fashioned ice cream parlor on Main Street."
I grinned, thinking about a nine-year-old version of Ronan licking an ice cream cone on a hot summer day. "And you always got chocolate?"
He laughed and playfully bumped his shoulder against mine. "Wrong there. I loved mint chocolate chip. I guess I was a bit of a rebel already."
"A rebel? I wouldn't have guessed that about you."
Ronan's eyes sparkled. "There's a lot you don't know about me yet. I'm a man of mystery." He laughed, and I couldn't stop myself from joining in.
A comfortable silence reigned for a few minutes while I heard Ronan's leather dress shoes clacking softly on the sidewalk. I fought the urge to reach out and take his hand in mine.
His voice sounded wistful as he continued his story. "Those summer days we spent visiting Millfield, I wouldn't trade them for anything. My parents had a favorite motel, which sat on the edge of a patch of woods. In the evenings, I could catch fireflies there. It was so different from the city; in that environment, with those bugs glowing in a jar, I thought anything was possible.
I nodded, understanding the sentiment. "That's the way I feel about Blue Harbor sometimes. It's a place where you can catch your dreams if you've got the courage to chase after them."
"Courage… isn't that what's behind so many things in life?"
All I could do to answer the question was nod and then ask about something on my mind. "What about you? Is Ian the reason you're in Blue Harbor? Or is there something else?"
Ronan chuckled under his breath. "A message he left with his estate attorney summoned me here, but I needed a break, too. I haven't taken a vacation in over four years, so I'm counting the trip as that, too. My secretary is under strict orders to only interrupt me with the most important matters. He summarizes the previous day in an email he sends first thing in the morning, so I'm keeping up that way. The people who make up the inner circle of my team are also free to send messages."
I thought about his words as he spoke. He had everything sorted out. When he talked about his own life, his voice was firm and confident. That spirit drew me in even further. How does he feel about me? Is it just a fleeting friendship to keep him company on vacation?
Ronan broke the quiet with another question. "Do you ever miss the city?"
"Sometimes, but then I think about how peaceful life is here. I can always visit the city an hour and a half drive away."
We were both silent again, and I listened to Ronan's footsteps. I couldn't shake my questions: What if Ronan doesn't feel the same way? What if I'm just an intriguing distraction?
He pulled me out of my musing. "Tyler, I'm curious. Why did you agree to come with me tonight? You barely know me, but you practically jumped at my invitation."
I paused, stood still, and considered my answer. "I guess I felt like you needed someone here, and I'm curious about anything connected to Blue Harbor's history. Plus, you're pretty interesting company."
"Interesting, huh? I'll have to take that as a compliment."
"It is." Suddenly, my heart started to pound. Was this the opening? Should I tell him how I felt?
