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 and had stopped to watch the sun go down, amazed by the sight of the red ball of fire drowning in the ocean. The sound of island music drifted over to him, and he noticed a beach bar. Dinner and a beer sounded perfect.

The restaurant was busy but seemed to be slowing down, so Walker had no trouble finding a spot at the bar. A pretty bartender nodded at him from where she was fixing a drink farther down the bar. He was surprised they had live music on a Thursday evening, but he figured Florida did things differently from back home. The golden sunlight was fading quickly now that the sun had set, reminding him that it was after eight and he still hadn’t had dinner. He took off his hat and set it on the bar, running a hand through his dark hair.

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

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

“It’s not exactly local, but we’ve got Yuengling. It’s brewed here in Tampa. It’s pretty popular.”

“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, pushing his card toward her on the bar top.

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 wryly to hide how silly he felt.

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

He frowned. “Why’re you callin’ me that?”

“I don’t know. You have the look.”

Walker chuckled. “You got me pegged.”

Evelyn tilted her head in confusion, but she began to turn away.

He cleared his throat. “Uh, ma’am, y’all got anything good to eat?”

“I’d suggest the grouper with mango salsa since you’re not from around here, but I’ll bring you a menu.”

His smile widened. “No need. That sounds wonderful, Evelyn. ‘N another beer please, if you don’t mind.”

She submitted his order and set a fresh beer in front of him, moving down the bar to help other patrons. He watched out of the corner of his eye as she made drinks, closed out tabs, and wiped down sticky counters. A while later, a server brought his meal. Walker ate, forgetting that the beach and the sand and the Florida vibes were what he had come for. Finally, he threw back the rest of the beer and waved Evelyn over. The bartender 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. Her makeup was simple, to the point that he wasn’t sure if she was wearing any. And while he had seen many women today on the beach and at other bars in skimpy outfits and low-cut shirts, she was dressed modestly, attracting him all the more.

She approached, set a fresh beer on the bar next to his empty glass, and leaned against the counter. “How was the grouper?”

“Good, thank you.”

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

Walker smiled and sipped the beer he hadn’t ordered. “A buddy of mine’s gettin’ married. Bachelor party’s tomorrow, but I figured I’d come a day early ‘n get some time to myself.”

Evelyn looked off at the far side of the restaurant as a new customer entered. “You came to hang out at the beach for a day by yourself? What are you trying to escape? Your wife?”

He frowned and sipped his beer, confused. “I ain’t married.”

She eyed him with renewed interest. “So, what then? Are you really a cowboy?”

Walker cringed. “I’m a farmer, ma’am. You might say I’m a cattleman, but I ain’t no cowboy.”

“What’s the difference?” Evelyn replied. “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 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. “You a student? Or just workin’?”

“I’m working on a bachelor’s degree. Maybe I’ll run my own restaurant someday.”

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

Evelyn laughed and her posture softened. She gestured at him. “Tell me about yourself. You’re a farmer?”

“I work the family farm. 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, shaking his head. “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 swapped it out for 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.

“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 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. A heat flowed 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 saw something melt in her green 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 sat back in his stool, wondering what had just happened between them. He sipped on his beer and collected himself.

The restaurant had pretty much cleared out. 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 shyly. “You want anything else, Tennessee? It’s last call.”

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

Evelyn pursed her lips and frowned. “I won’t be done till after ten-thirty.”

He shrugged. “Ain’t got nothin’ else to do. I don’t mind waitin’.”

She chewed on her bottom lip. “Not sure I can go for drinks, since I have class in the morning. But we can walk on the beach for a while if you want.”

Walker sipped what was left of his beer. “Sounds nice, sweetheart.” He watched as she cleaned the bar, moving to-and-fro effortlessly, as if she had closed the bar a thousand times before. It reminded him of his momma in the kitchen when she was on a roll and had three things in the oven and half a dozen other things in the works. Evelyn cashed him out and he gave her a generous tip, hoping that would sweeten her up a little, if nothing else, and it did get him a warm smile. When it looked like she was almost done and the bar had cleared out, Walker stood and made his way outside, letting her know he would meet her out front. He shook a Marlboro from his pack as he walked out of the bar and glanced back at her for one more look, afraid she might disappear once she was out of his sight.