the b e a c o n.

Yes.

You didn’t ask how...

Looking up at the man, Andie shook her head. “No, I wasn’t really looking for anybody I can’t find myself. Thank you, though.” She looked at him for a long moment before she gestured to him. “You’re related to Logan, right?” The woman asked, no context for her question. This was changed immediately. “I know you probably get that all the time. I work with him at the police station, that’s why I ask.”

A brow raised, his expression remaining relaxed though. “It’s what I’ve been told,” Duke replies, though no smile graces his features. “---why do you ask?” He folded his arms across his chest, not in a defensive position, but more just out of habit. “I am gonna guess it wasn’t the family resemblance.”

“Kels?” Cordelia asked softly trying to sort through her memories and the people Richie mentioned or that stopped into her work. “No. I haven’t met her yet. I like the feel of her place though. Not as much as the Record shop…  Does she know you’re married?” Cee tried to watch him like a hawk. Tried to see if in this town a best friend was capable of being a best friend, or was he in love with this Kels? What had she ran away to? “We should.. talk. Not around people. But we may need a crowd in a distance, or else I might just start screaming all the illicit Italian words I learned from my Nonna”

Jealously. It was both bright and transparent on her features, and Duke had to stifle a laugh. It seemed no matter the time, or their age, all women carried the same traits. “She’s my best friend, of course, she does.” He replies, his tone remaining even. There weren’t many things they didn’t share, and this sort of secret was one of them. “Look, Delia---you’re right and we should.” Pause. “But right now, this is Kelsey’s thing and I gotta be here for it. What about tonight, the lighthouse?”

All the while between avoiding Duke and trying to fill her stomach with pastries. She had almost patted herself on the back, that is until she was bumped into by a stranger. him. “It’s oh-.” Cordelia paused not even finishing the word. It wasn’t okay. They weren’t okay. “Open mic night, huh?”

“Yeah, Kels really loves keepin’ the traditions alive.” He comments, lips pressing into a line. Awkward, definitely awkward. “You meet her yet, she’s my best friend but she also owns this lil place.” Also made a mean latte, but that didn’t really matter in their current conversation.

Brushing her hair behind her ear, Andie ducked into the cafe quietly behind a few other people. She was forcing herself to be social on this evening, as much as she wanted to curl up at home and have a drink. As if karma was hitting her right in the face, she walked right into a fellow patron, raising her eyebrows. “Oh hey, sorry. Didn’t watch where I was going.” She added, giving Duke a friendly smile.

With his hands raised, Duke caught the woman from colliding with him too hard. She was a tiny thing, and if they hadn’t been careful, she could’ve taken a serious tumble. “No worries, crowed in here.” He offers, gesturing to their surroundings. “Lucky we didn’t both end up fallin’ over, drinks and all.” Dropping his hands, he spoke again. “You need help findin’ someone?” 

It was used to be the devil in disguise, bright smiles and gentle eyes to hide her true intentions. She could be a deadly threat. But at that moment, clutching her purse close to her side while her fingers nervously pulled at the blonde waves falling over her shoulder, she really was as innocent as she seemed. “I really am sorry,” She chewed on her lower lip as she apologised again, hoping that Duke was as nice as he appeared - maybe a little rough around the edges, but nice. This was quiet Bayfield, surely she hadn’t walked right into the traps of a dangerous man just trying to find her way back to Cathedral Heights. She gave him a grateful smile at his offer, preparing to turn it down before the storm was mentioned. “Another one?” She questioned, although perhaps she had simply ignored it on the news thinking they had been referring to the blizzard that had just passed through. “Is there any time that the weather is just chill here?” She asked, nervous laughter running through her words as though she really was expecting to spend half her time in lockdown. “Oh Anna, Anna Banks,” She said quickly, only realising at his words she hadn’t introduced himself, as she stuck her hand out in a habit of formality.

“Summertime, but then really we’re just dealing with the humidity and wave patterns.” He answers her, though he was sure she wasn’t really looking for an answer. Most people asked questions without hope or expectation of an actual response, Duke just didn’t know how to take people less earnestly. “Nice to meet you, Anna Banks, now let's get you inside.” Leading the way towards his boat, he approached the dock which he jumped down upon, turning to help Anna as he raised a hand to the woman. “Are you a tea or coffee woman? I have a bit of both, but I can’t promise any whole lot of options as far as creamers go---I never quite grasped the understanding of needing eight different flavors when it has always tasted just fine on its own to me.”

                “To become a teacher.” Helena replied, for awhile she wasn’t sure what she wanted to study, always a little indecisive when it came to figuring out a plan until she realized how much she enjoyed teaching children. “Elementary teacher to be exact.” 

Glancing her over, Duke nodded. “You look the part.” Which was a compliment as he moved to sit across from the woman, eyes drifting about her work before settling back on the woman. “I’m Duke, it’s nice to meet you---”

                  “I was taking a walk and just needed to clear my head.” Venus responded, shoving her hands into her hoodie pockets, “I wasn’t really paying attention on where my feet was taking me and just…dazed out. Didn’t realize how far I walked.” 

“Pretty far walk, Venus,” Duke comments, but he didn’t question the woman further. It seemed almost everyone in Bayfield had a lot on their mind as of recently. “---wanna talk about it?”

As she approached, it was clear Duke wasn’t quite ready to leave at all, but Kelsey didn’t mind in the slightest as she settled next to him. One drink wouldn’t hurt and if they both ended up drunk to bits, they could always grab an Uber. Or call Kiernan or Theo. Even as tumultuous as things were between that trio, Kels knew the two girls would be there for them in an instant. “That guy– Trevor. He was nice.” A scrunch of her nose gave away her true feelings. He was boring. Boring was okay though. Boring was safe and given recent events, safety was something to valued, wasn’t it? Nevertheless, she was thankful for her best friend’s interruption.

“But, we’re not here to talk about me.” The bartender settled the drinks before them and Kelsey gave a polite nod, pulling a few singles out of her purse and tipping the man. “I’ve decided we’re here to drink and forget all of our problems. Deal?” 

Ah yes, the boring man. Duke had a story or three about those guys from Kelsey, and though they seemed decent enough, they never appeared good enough for his best friend. Especially when her features hardly lit up at their mention, and she merely swept talk about them under a rug. Yeah, Kelsey deserved better than that---much better. “Well then maybe it was a good thing I called, saved you from one less boring man.” Reaching out, he patted her shoulder before returning his attention to his drink. At least liquor was never dull. 

“Forgetting is something I do almost as well as ignoring.” He agrees, lifting his glass in cheers against her own. “To bad decisions that we can regret tomorrow, or just hopefully not remember at all.”