Justin yawned widely, letting his eyes waver from the road to the ocean out the passenger window for a long moment before focusing on the road again. He was tired, and sick of being in this car, and just wanted to get there already. He’d been driving most of the day and was ready to curl up in a soft bed and sleep until morning.
Finally, after twenty more minutes, the road turned and the small beach community came into view. Houses situated along the beach, decks off the back leading down to the sand below. Thick, white sand leading out to the ocean. The ocean waves, tranquil on this night, lapping gently against the shore. The moonlight reflected off the ocean, washing over the houses. Most of them were dark, but a few had lights burning brightly from inside. He could almost feel the warmth radiating from inside as couples and families came together, talking and laughing, holding each other close, sharing their love and their lives. A smile reached his face. This was just what he needed.
Pulling into the community parking lot, he grabbed his overnight back, opting to get the rest of his luggage in the morning, and made his way toward the rented beach house, keys dangling in his hand. Stepping through the door, he was overcome with an enticing scent. It smelled like the ocean, mixed with the smell of apple pie, the smell that reminded him of home, his childhood home. He could close his eyes and be back there, his mother moving around the kitchen, humming to herself. His father in the den, hunched over the solid oak desk, papers spread out before him. But the moment Justin entered, his attention was off the paperwork before him and all of it was directed toward Justin. It reminded him of happy times. It reminded him of love.
He sighed, shakily, and opened his eyes, the images disappearing back into his memory. They were good times, good memories. Ones he held dear to him. But they were no more. Both his parents had been killed in a car crash when Justin was eighteen. He’d been alone since then. Luckily, they’d had quite a bit of money saved up so Justin had still been able to attend college. Money had never been an issue. He’d sold the house and moved into a small apartment. The memories were too great and too painful for him to stay there.
That had been eight years ago, and it still felt like just yesterday in his mind. Now, eight years later, he was a college graduate, a renounced author, and a high school English teacher. He loved both, immensely. But the problem was, lately, he’d been stuck. Something was blocking the words from coming, blocking the stories normally swirling around in his head, blocking the thoughts from flowing onto paper. The school year had been a rough one and now that it was over, now that summer was here, he was glad to be able to get away. He’d rented the beach house on a whim, something a friend of a friend knew about. His hope was that with the peaceful sounds of the ocean, the quietness of a hidden beach community, he’d be able to find his muse again. That the words would come again.
His girlfriend, Crystal, hadn’t been happy. She had hoped the two of them would spend the summer traveling across Europe, as she had less than subtly mentioned many times of the course of the year. He had quite a nice bit of money from his last book and would have been more than able to afford a trip to Europe. But he needed this. When he’d told her, she hadn’t been pleased, but figured they’d make the best of it, the two of them lying on the beach, soaking up the sun. This was before he’d mentioned he was going alone. She hadn’t understood, had gotten mad. But he’d explained it had nothing to do with her, that he just needed some time to himself, some time to get the words back.
They’d parted on not the best of terms, and he wasn’t sure what that meant, where that left the two of them. But he’d promised himself he’d call her, soon.
Opening the sliding glass door, situated along the back wall of the house, looking out across the ocean, Justin stepped out onto the deck and took a seat in one of the chairs set up there. He could smell the sea air, the thick smell of salt tickling his nose slightly. The waves lapped against the shore, quietly and peacefully. Small swells dipped and rolled against each other, landing on the shore before moving back out, dragging bits of sand with them. The moon shown down, reflecting off the water, shimmering and swirling. A smile reached his lips as he leaned back, hands behind his head. He could get use to it here. This was just what he needed.
Suddenly, a new sound, louder than the sounds of nature, interrupted his tranquility. The music hit his ears softly, riding on the warm summer breeze, blowing across his skin. The soft guitar riffs fit in with the rest of this peaceful world, slow and gentle. Not harsh, not rushed. Justin glanced around for the source of the sound and in the moonlight, caught sight of a man, sitting on the deck of a house similar to Justin’s, a few houses down from where he was now. The man was sitting in a chair, bent over his guitar, immersed in his music.
A sense of peace washed over Justin. He felt connected, somehow, to the soft notes blowing across the beach, across his deck, around his body. His body was alert, but not tense, as he strained to listen, to hear each and every beautiful note. His eyes closed, almost of their own accord, the music wrapping around him, singing to him, lulling him into a wonderful state of happiness.
The song ended, the notes slipping off, and although it wasn’t a surprise ending, although it faded out into the night, it was still a shock to Justin’s senses when the last note billowed by him, drifting out to sea. His eyes snapped open and his head turned, trying to make out the man, trying to make out the guitar. Trying to will him to play something else, anything else. But he saw the man, reaching for a guitar case, packing the guitar away. Climbing to his feet, Justin stepped down off the deck and into the sand before he was even aware what he was doing.
It wasn’t a long walk and before he knew it, before he was even really aware of what he was doing, he was standing in front of the man’s steps, looking up at him. Their eyes connected and, just like with the music, Justin felt a sense of tranquility wash over his body. Deep blue pools, sparkling in the moonlight, met his own. They were smiling, shimmering with happiness. Justin wasn’t sure how long they stood there, eyes connected, emotions washing over both of them, before Justin finally opened his mouth, drawing them out of the intense stare.
“That was a beautiful song.”
“Thanks. I’m glad you liked it.”
“Did you write it?” Justin asked. The man nodded, lips sliding into a soft grin, eyes crinkling up gently.
“I’m Josh. You’re the new guy that rented out the old McPherson place, right?” Justin shrugged, not sure if McPherson was who he’d rented from or not. It didn’t really matter to him. All that had mattered was that he’d rented.
“I’m Justin.” Josh stepped down from the deck, standing on the step above Justin, and stuck his hand out. Justin reached out as well, their hands sliding together in a handshake. “Do you play often?” Josh nodded.
“I’m a musician. It’s what I do. I write music, and I play it for anyone who will listen.”
“I’m more than willing to listen any time you feel like playing if you have more stuff like that. It was amazing.” He saw, even in the dim moonlight, Josh blush. It crept up his cheeks slowly, a red tint filling out as he ducked his head, eyes finally leaving Justin’s. A soft thanks escaped his lips. “Well listen, I have some stuff I need to do, some unpacking and stuff. But I’m here all summer, and I meant what I said. Anytime you want an audience, I’m willing to take up that roll. You have amazing talent.”
“You’ve only heard one song,” Josh said, laughing, the blush leaving his face. “What if the rest of my stuff sucks?” Justin shook his head.
“I may have only heard one song, but it was incredible. If the rest of your stuff is even half that good, then I’ll be happy to listen to it. Goodnight, Josh.” He heard a mumbled goodnight as he turned, making his way back toward his own house. Justin wasn’t sure exactly what had just happened between them, but that had to have been the weirdest first conversation he’d ever had with anyone. And, with hundreds of different emotions running through his body, deep inside, he wasn’t sure if that had been as strange as he was thinking it was or not. It had been intense, the entire conversation. Everything about it, from the eye contact, to the sensations creeping along his skin, to the feeling swirling around inside him, had been powerful. Knowing it was the music, knowing it had made him alert and vulnerable, he shook his head, clearing it.
As he slipped inside the house, shutting the sliding door behind him, he just hoped Josh took him up on his offer, gave him a taste of that music again, gave him a taste, just a sliver, of heaven again.