MAYBE THIS TIME | JENLISA

26

Lisa held Jennie's hand as she took her toward the beach bar near their new hotel. She'd been glad they'd been able to book her usual room when she stayed over at the island. Mark, the hotel manager and a friend of hers from her years of cruising, had pulled some strings for her, and she knew she owed him one. Still, the room wasn't nearly as luxurious as Jennie's place, but it had a view of the beach, a king-sized bed, and shower big enough for two. And Jennie seemed more than happy with that arrangement.

"Is this the place you were talking about?" Jennie asked as they walked along the shoreline toward the restaurant.

"Yeah," Lisa replied, "this was on the list Omario gave me. I've been here once or twice, but not in a while. I'm curious to see how it's changed, if at all."

Lisa had told Jennie about the real-estate listings and research she'd been doing, one night during their bathtub confessionals. She had no reservation telling Jennie anything, but verbalizing this made it feel very real. She'd been touched when Jennie told her she wanted to know more about it. When she had encouraged her to show her, she'd made the phone call to the bar owner, Miss Camille, the next morning, to set up a meeting over lunch today.

"It's cute," Jennie said, her tone sincere. "The beach access is incredible."

Lisa walked with her around the perimeter, pointing out the pluses and minuses she'd noticed along the way. There was a good-sized parking lot, but the broken shells that formed the parking surface needed to be redone. The exterior had significant wear, but it appeared to be mostly cosmetic wind and weather damage. But the carved wooden doors and original Dutch-inspired wood storm shutters were in good shape and had great character.

The inside was well lit, with a U-shaped bar and three open walls showcasing the beach and the views of the island. Tables dotted the floor off the bar, leading up to an elevated platform where a set of drums and some other musical instruments sat, waiting to be played. On the beach side, just below the elevated stage, a dozen or so other small two- and four-person tables sat, worn and weathered from years of use, in a roped-off patio area with a few faded and aging umbrellas overhead. But the bar was busy—not full, but nearly. And the aged tables and chairs were populated by happy tourists and singing locals. The bar moved out colorful, fruity cocktails at a blistering pace by island life standards, and though the place needed work and some upgrades, it was great. It had promise. It had potential.

"You must be Lisa," a deep, gravelly voice called out from the bar, and an older woman waved her over. She appeared to be in her late sixties, though her eyes and smile shone with a youthfulness that didn't fit the gnarled hands that reached to shake Lisa's. "Welcome to Sebastian's, I'm Miss Camille. But you can call me Cami."

"Thank you for meeting with me," Lisa said. "This is Jennie."

"You're a looker, Miss Jennie," she said in her thick Caribbean accent.

"You keep that up and I'll leave this one behind." Jennie winked at Lisa and Cami laughed.

"You're too young for me, girl." She smiled and a gold tooth winked in their direction. "I swore off pretty young girls and hard liquor long ago. Too much trouble for an old lady like me."

"That must make tending bar on an island hard, no?" Lisa asked as she and Jennie sat across from Cami at the bar.

"Not really. I'm only here behind the bar on the slow days. I'm mostly doing the business behind the scenes now. It's too much work and too much for these old bones to manage. I'm riddled with arthritis and I've got a bad back." She handed them each a plastic cup of water and leaned against the bar. "My hard-partying days are over. But I'll still partake in an island fruit sangria from time to time. Much to my doctor's horror, I'm sure."

Lisa laughed and accepted the water. It was nice and cold.

"What can I get you ladies?" Cami asked as she handed them a tattered laminated double-sided meal and drink menu.

"What's the best thing on the menu?" Jennie asked and Lisa rubbed her knee under the bar top just because she was close enough, and because she could.

"The battered fish and plantains are a local favorite, and the fish tacos are popular with the cruisers," she replied, her voice full of charm.

Lisa looked at Jennie, who nodded, and she replied, "We'll take one of each."

"What can I get you to drink?" Cami asked as she pulled out a shaker. "The popular island drink is the Aruba Ariba—it's sweet and like a planter's punch. Or the locally brewed Balashi is good, too. You can't go wrong with either."

They both chose the Ariba, and Lisa watched as Cami moved behind the bar with ease, her complaints of arthritis and back pain seemingly unfounded as she glided behind the bar. But Lisa didn't miss her wince when she bent over the icebox, bracing herself on the bar surface as she filled one cup at a time. Cami caught her watching.

"I move faster than I look—I know that." Cami mixed their drinks and placed them down on the bar. "But don't be fooled. I'm ready to give up the hustle and bustle. I'll miss this place, but I'd rather be a patron than a boss these days. Have someone make me meals and feed me grapes, you know?" Cami laughed. "Omario told me you wanted to talk. Make me an offer so I can retire."

Lisa laughed and shook her head. "You don't mess around, do you?"

Someone called from the open kitchen area, and she waddled back and forth, bringing them their lunch. "I'm just letting you know I'm open to a conversation. Omario said you're good people, that you're around here a lot. I don't want to talk to any more developers. They want to turn Sebastian's into a hotel and erase my husband's legacy. I'm not interested in that."

"Sebastian was your husband?" Jennie coughed out, midsip. "What happened to all that talk about pretty ladies?"

Cami handed her a napkin. "He was open-minded. And I wasn't about to be told no. We were childhood sweethearts, and we made a good match in life and in business. But we had our fun outside of the marriage, too." She shrugged. "It worked for us. He was a good man, and I'm not about to let them build a Marriott over the bar top he hand carved. You know?"

Lisa nodded. She'd heard this story before. The island was changing, as bigger ships came in every day and with them great economic opportunity, but some of the charm of the island was lost along the way. Sebastian's had charm and Cami oozed it. "Let's talk."

"Atta girl." Cami patted Lisa's hand before she limped over to a young couple sitting nearby, taking their order and engaging them in conversation.

"You're serious about this, huh?" Jennie asked, but there was no judgment in her voice.

"I'm just gathering information." Lisa looked at Jennie and leaned in to kiss her. She closed her eyes at the sensation of Jennie's lips against hers and she nodded. "What can a conversation hurt?"

"Nothing, nothing at all." Jennie pecked her lips before sipping her drink. "You need to learn how to make these—this is awesome."

Lisa laughed. "That it is." She stirred her drink and looked out at the white sand beach and gorgeous teal-blue water lapping at the shore before she looked back at Jennie. "I'm serious about you, too."

Jennie looked at her and she fell in love with her all over again. Those eyes captivated her. They always had. "Good, because I'm serious about you."

"I want to try and make this work after you leave. After we both leave paradise." Lisa took her hand and squeezed it. "I want to see what the future holds for us. It'll be challenging, I know, but I want to try."

Jennie cuddled against her chest. "That sounds like an adventure I'm more than willing to undertake."

Lisa raised her glass in toast. "To rediscovering lost loves and starting new adventures."

Jennie clinked her glass and added, "To second chances and new beginnings."

Lisa couldn't think of a better way to agree with Jennie than kissing her in that moment. And for all moments, she hoped.