Maria could feel his gaze lingering on her before he finally turned away. She wasn’t quite sure how to respond, and for a while, the two of them simply stood there in silence. Colin seemed perfectly relaxed and self-contained, while Maria tried to immerse herself in the view once again. A shrimp boat trawled the darker waters in the distance, and over her shoulder, the lights flickered on at Crabby Pete’s. The faint strains of classic rock began to drift out of one of the restaurants, signaling the beginning of the evening festivities.
She studied Colin from the corner of her eye, trying to figure out why he seemed so different than other men. In her experience, men her age generally fell into one of five categories: arrogant types who believed themselves to be one of God’s favorite creations; friendly guys who might become keepers except for the fact that they often weren’t interested in relationships; shy guys who could barely speak; men who weren’t interested in her at all for one reason or another; and really good ones – genuine keepers – who were almost always taken, in her experience. Colin didn’t seem like the first kind, and based on what she’d observed at the bar, he didn’t seem like the second or third kinds, either. Which meant, obviously, that he was either the fourth or fifth kind. He wasn’t interested in her… and yet, deep down, she suspected that she might be wrong about that, though she wasn’t sure why. Which left the possibility that he was in the fifth category, but unfortunately, she’d pretty much ended the conversation earlier, so maybe his silence was a reaction to her perceived standoffishness.
After he’d changed her tire. After his friendly efficiency at the bar. After Serena had assured her that he was a nice guy. And after he’d initiated a conversation just a few moments earlier. She felt her shoulders slump. No wonder she spent her weekends alone.
“Hey, Colin?” she tried again.
He was still leaning over the railing, and when he turned after a moment, she detected the same trace of amusement she’d noticed in the bar. “Yes?”
“May I ask you a question?”
“Yes.” His blue-gray eyes glowed like sea glass.
“Why do you like fishing?”
He reached up, tilting his hat back slightly. “I guess I don’t, really. And I’m not very good at it, either. I hardly ever catch anything.”
She registered the soft precision of his speech. “Then why do you do it?”
“It’s a good way to unwind after work, especially when it’s busy… It’s just nice to have a few minutes to myself, you know? I come out here and it’s quiet and the world slows down for a while. I started bringing a pole because it gave me something to do, instead of just standing out here and staring at the horizon.”
“Like I was doing?”
“Exactly. Would you like to borrow my pole?” When she laughed under her breath, he went on. “Besides, I think it made people nervous when I just stood out here brooding, like I was up to no good. And earlier this week, with the bruises, I probably would have scared them, too.”
“I’d like to think you came off as contemplative.”
“I doubt it. You, on the other hand, come across as the type who frequently contemplates things. Life. Goals. Dreams.”
She flushed, feeling too tongue-tied to answer. Despite herself, she couldn’t help agreeing with Serena: Colin was seriously… hot. She shook the thought away, not wanting to go there.
“Do you mind?” he said, motioning toward her before leaning over and grabbing his tackle box. “I’m not having a lot of luck over here.”
His suggestion caught her off guard. “Uh, yeah… sure. But if you’re not very good at fishing, I can’t promise this spot will be any better.”
“It probably won’t be,” he admitted, drawing near. He set the tackle box beside him on the pier, leaving a comfortable distance between them. “But I won’t have to talk so loud.”
Unlike her, he seemed perfectly relaxed, and she watched as he reeled in his line and recast in a new location. He leaned forward, jerking the pole slightly.
“Your sister has quite a personality,” he said after a moment.
“Why do you say that?”
“Her introduction to me included the words, ‘Hey you, with the hurt face.’ ”
Maria grinned, thinking that sounded exactly like Serena. “She’s one of a kind, that’s for sure.”
“But she’s more like a friend than a sister, right?”