Walker stood with his hands in his pockets, looking out over the surf and sand, the sunset painting the sky in brilliant pinks and reds as the sun disappeared beyond the horizon. The salt tang of seawater filled his nostrils as he took a deep breath, thinking of how this place was so different from home. He stood barefoot in the soft sand, his flip-flops shoved into his jeans back pocket. It was a warm night, the sticky humidity making him feel overdressed in jeans and a flannel shirt. All around him people were watching the sunset, taking photos with their phones, or talking with friends. He was walking down the beach alone and had stopped to watch the sun go down, amazed by the sight of it drowning in the ocean. The sound of island music drifted over to him, and he glanced at a little beach bar, thinking maybe he’d like a drink. He still had some time to kill.

The restaurant was busy but seemed to be slowing down, so he had no trouble finding a spot at the bar. A pretty, young bartender nodded at him from where she was helping someone else and he glanced over at the band, surprised to see one on a Thursday evening. The sunlight was fading quickly now that the sun had set, so he took off his hat and set it on the bar.

“Hey,” the pretty bartender said with a smile, setting down a napkin in front of him. “What’ll it be?”

Walker rubbed his chin. “Y’all got any local beers?”

“We’ve got Yuengling, a lager. It’s brewed in Tampa. Most people like it.”

“That’ll do,” he agreed.

“You got a card to set up a tab?” she asked, raising one eyebrow.

“Yes, ma’am,” Walker answered, pulling out his wallet.

She went to grab a glass and frowned at him from over the taps, tilting her head. “Where’re you from?”

“Jonesborough, Tennessee, ma’am,” he answered and handed over his card.

She set down his glass and gave him a warm, friendly smile. “Welcome to Florida, Tennessee.”

Walker smiled and sipped the beer. It was rich and just hoppy enough that he liked it. The bartender walked by a bit later and he nodded at her.

“What’d you say this beer was?”

“That’s a Yuengling. You like it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She laughed, putting her hands on her hips. “You don’t have to call me ma’am. Name’s Evelyn.”

Walker offered his hand. “I’m Walker. Nice to meet you, ma—Evelyn,” he said, smiling warmly.

Evelyn rolled her eyes and shook his hand. “Let me know if you need anything else, Walker.”

Forty minutes went by while she filled glasses, closed out tabs, and wiped down sticky counters. He watched her from the corner of his eye, wishing for another peek at her smile or a hint of her laugh. Finally, he threw back the rest of the beer and waved her over. The girl was beautiful, with dark curly hair and a nice figure. She wore a blue shirt with the restaurant’s logo on it and denim shorts with sneakers.

She approached and leaned against the counter behind her, crossing her arms against her chest. “Another one?”

“Well, I reckon that depends. Is your shift over soon?”

Evelyn laughed easily, seeming used to this kind of banter. “I’ll be here all night, Tennessee.”

“Then I’ll take another,” Walker said firmly, running a hand through his hair.

“Y’all got anything good to eat?”

“I’d suggest the grouper with mango salsa since you’re not from around here.”

His smile widened. “Sounds wonderful, Evelyn.”

She went to submit his order and then set a fresh beer in front of him and walked away to care for another customer. A while later, a server brought his meal. Walker ate while he watched her work, forgetting that the beach and the sand and the Florida sights were behind him. After things settled down a bit, she came over and set another beer on the bar next to his empty glass.

“So, Tennessee,” Evelyn said, folding her arms against her chest, “what’re you in town for?”

Walker smiled at her and sipped the beer he hadn’t ordered. “I’m here with a buddy of mine for a few days before he goes and gets married. I thought it was silly, comin’ all the way to Florida for a little drinkin’, but now I’m thinkin’ he had the right idea.”

Evelyn rolled her eyes and looked off at the far side of the restaurant. “And where’s your buddy tonight? Looks like you’re here by yourself.”

He coughed into his fist. “Ah, yes, well, they decided to go visit some ladies down at another establishment and I wasn’t too keen on that, so I stayed here on the beach. I figure I can catch up with them when they’re done.”

“You mean strippers?” Evelyn asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at him with interest.

Walker felt his cheeks burning and he laughed good-naturedly. “Yes, ma’am, I just, that’s not somethin’ you say to a lady.”

She smiled, seeming amused. “Is this your first time at the beach?”

He sat back on his barstool and looked around, taking in the sound of the live band, the rabble of dinner and drinks, and the tang of salt air. He rubbed a hand through his unkempt brown hair. “Ma’am, I ain’t never left the south before.” He gestured at her. “What ‘bout you? Where’re you from?”

“I’m from here. I grew up fifteen minutes down the road.”

Walker nodded, sipping his beer. “Are you a student? Or just workin’?”

“I’m working on a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management. I would like to manage my own restaurant someday.”

He whistled lowly. “Wow, beautiful and smart. Don’t tell me you’re already married.”

Evelyn laughed at that and her posture relaxed. She gestured at him. “Tell me about yourself. What do you do for work?”

“Well, ma’am, I work on the family farm. Whatever needs takin’ care of. On the weekends I have a car I like to tinker round with.” He folded his arms on the bar top, leaning toward her. “Ain’t a flashy life, but we do alright. Bought a house a couple of years ago.”

“You have a lot of family up there?”

Walker leaned back, whistling lowly. “Do I ever.”

She frowned. “You’re single?”

“Yes ma’am, Evelyn.”

“That’s a surprise,” she murmured.

He tipped back the rest of his beer, finishing it.

Evelyn raised her eyebrows. “You want another?”

“Yessum,” he replied and slid his glass across the counter toward her.

Evelyn took it and grabbed him a fresh glass, holding it at an angle under the tap. She stood with her back to him, the apron tied around her waist accentuating her hips, the curve of her in the denim shorts she wore. Evelyn was thin in the way women were in their early twenties, and he wondered how old she was. Considering that she was still in school for her bachelor’s degree, he figured she couldn’t be more than twenty-three or twenty-four, at most. Walker thought about paying his tab and getting out of there, the six- or seven-year age gap feeling like a gulf between them.

What did he know about the generation below him? Not much. But there was something in her green eyes, something curious and genuine, like she was looking right through him to his very soul. He wondered what Evelyn saw when she looked at him. He was just a simple man dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt in the middle of summer, walking into her bar barefoot, his feet covered in sand. That last part couldn’t have been much of a surprise, but he did feel a little silly for not changing into something more casual after getting off the plane earlier. He hadn’t even considered it until he was fifteen minutes down the beach, rolling up his jeans to avoid getting them wet and sweating in the summer sun.

Evelyn set the fresh beer on the bar and slid it toward him. She folded her arms on the counter and sighed heavily. “I can’t wait to get out of here tonight. I’ve got so much to do tomorrow.”

“What d’you have to do, ma’am? If you don’t mind me askin’, that is?” he said and sipped from the cold glass. Her pour was perfect, with just a thin head on the top of the amber brew. Walker decided he was a fan of this beer they called Yuengling.

“I’ve got an essay to write in the morning and over a hundred pages to read this weekend,” Evelyn complained, sighing tiredly. “I’m so ready to be done with school.”

Walker nodded and reached out to touch her forearm, giving it a gentle but firm squeeze. “It’ll work out, honey.”

Evelyn met his eyes, looking up from underneath her lashes. They looked at one another for a long moment with him still touching her, a heat flowing between them that melted him down to his very core. Suddenly, Walker felt as if his world shifted, as if nothing else mattered on this trip but this beautiful woman in front of him and whatever he could do to get one more moment with her. He rubbed his thumb against the soft skin at her wrist and he saw something melt in her eyes, something that was firm and unmoving, suddenly give way. Walker wasn’t sure what that was, but he wanted to find out.

She looked down at the bar top and gently pulled her arm away, stepping back and muttering something about closing down the bar for the night. He watched her go and sat back in his stool, wondering what in the hell had just happened and how he could have more of it. He sipped on his beer and collected himself. His phone buzzed. The guys were done at the strip club and wondering where he was. Walker slipped the phone back in his pocket. Meeting up with them was the last thing he wanted to do.

He glanced around the restaurant. There were a few patrons working on their drinks, but the tables were empty, the families and tourists out for dinner long gone. Walker rubbed a hand against his face. It was almost ten o’clock, and he was tired from traveling and the beers made him feel relaxed, at ease. Or maybe it was the company?

Evelyn emerged from the kitchen and started working on the bar, cleaning counters and covering liquor bottles. He watched her as he sipped his beer, impressed by the care she took to check every detail, to make sure everything was spotless before moving on. She cashed out the other customers and made her way over to him slowly, as if she was avoiding him, or maybe saving him for last.

She met his eyes and smiled. “Hey,” she murmured softly. “You want anything else? It’s last call.”

“I probably shouldn’t,” Walker said and paused, eyeing her. “Unless you’d like to have one with me somewhere else?”

Evelyn pursed her lips and frowned, seeming to consider it. “I’ve still got a lot to do here. I won’t be done until after ten-thirty.”

He shrugged. “Ain’t got nothin’ else to do. I can wait for ya.”

She seemed to weigh the options in her mind for a moment, biting her lip. “Okay,” she agreed. “I’ll go ahead and cash you out. If anything, it would be nice to walk on the beach for a while. I can’t promise a drink, but we can start with that.”