Beth found herself at a complete loss. As she and Daryl walked towards the beach café, she wasn't sure what she was even doing, or where she'd found the nerve to ask this man, that she knew nothing about, to have lunch with her. She had honestly thought that he'd turn her down, but was elated that he agreed, if not completely surprised. Earlier, Daryl had seemed to be in some sort of trance, barely talking or even acknowledging her. But now, he seemed to have turned the corner on whatever emotions he was experiencing. He'd even smiled at her a little! Beth looked out of the corner of her eyes over at Daryl to notice that he even had a small smirk on his face at that moment. She wondered what had brought him out of his seemingly dark place from earlier. She also wondering what in the world she'd do to make conversation with him during lunch. Beth never had trouble talking to people, though, so she knew she'd think of something.

As the two walked into the grill and approached the counter, Beth looked over at Daryl and asked "have you eaten here before?". He simply shook his head, letting her know that he hadn't. Although he and Andrea had visited the beach together several times, she had always assured him that the food at the café was not up to their standards. Now that he was inside with Beth, though, he thought that it looked just like his sort of place. "Do you like hamburgers?" Beth asked shyly. "They have really great hamburgers here… trust me", said followed.

Daryl just nodded and he moved towards the counter a bit further, indicating to her that he would take her lead in ordering. He stuck out his hand in front of him, indicating to Beth that she should go first.

"Hi, Joe!" Beth said enthusiastically to the older man behind the counter. "How is your Sunday treating you so far? Have you been busy?".

"Hi, Beth" Joe returned Beth's enthusiasm. "What a treat to see you today. I rarely see you in here on Sundays!" the older man said as he smiled at her and then looked up at the man that was towering behind her. "We've been a little busier than usual today… it's that time of year though, right? Who is your friend here?"

"Oh, sorry! Joe, this is Daryl. Daryl, this is Joe", Beth said as she turned to look at Daryl. Joe quickly stuck his hand out to Daryl, and, after eyeing him suspiciously for a moment, Daryl moved forward and shook the old man's hand.

"Nice to meet you, son" Joe said with a smile. "Any guy that gets to hang around with Beth's is a lucky son of a gun", the old man Joe winked at Daryl as he turned back towards Beth. Beth had blushed a little at Joe's statement, and also hoped that Joe's comments hadn't made Daryl uncomfortable. Who knows what the older man thought about her relationship with Daryl – but, that didn't really matter, did it?

"You gonna have your usual today, Miss Beth?" Joe asked rather jovially.

"Yes!" she answered quickly.

"Alright…" Joe responded. "That's one double cheeseburger with extra bacon and pickles. And an order of fries and a Coke?" Joe confirmed.

"Yes!" Beth said enthusiastically. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until she stepped into the grill, smelling the delicious scent of grilled and fried food.

When Beth turned around to look at Daryl, waiting for him to order, she noticed his smirk had grown to a full blown laugh. "Damn girl, you must be hungry" he said through a small chuckle.

Beth could tell that her small size had fooled Daryl into thinking she wasn't a healthy eater, which was quite the opposite for the reality.

"Oh, son… Look, Beth here always eats like this. She has a big appetite. Don't let that 100 pound body fool you – she loves to eat!" Joe said, laughing harder and harder as he saw Beth start to blush and Daryl started to laugh as well. Beth swatted Joe's shoulder playfully – but she too had started to laugh. She knew she was laughing at herself, and in front of this man that she barely knew, but she was so glad that he finally seemed to be smiling and happy, even if just momentarily.

"So, Daryl, what can I get for you?" Joe asked.

"I… uh… just give me what she's having" Daryl said looking over at Beth and giving her a cute smile. That smile made Beth's stomach jump – were those butterflies in her stomach, she wondered?

"Alright" Joe said, as he finished entering everything in the computer. Daryl had already gotten his wallet out and looked towards Joe expectantly, waiting for him to tell him the total of their order. Joe looked up at Daryl and smiled, "That'll be $9.16, son".

Daryl looked a little surprised. Beth wasn't sure why, until he spoke. "$9.16? That's all? For all that?" he asked unsurely. He looked from Joe to Beth and back to Joe again.

Joe laughed in response. "Not for most people, son, but, see, I give the lifeguards a pretty significant discount… And lucky for you, you're with one!".

Daryl nodded to the older man and handed him a $20 bill. Daryl took his change and thanked Joe. He turned to Beth, unsure of what where she wanted to sit, since the grill had an inside and outside seating area.

Beth noticed his uncertainty and, without hesitation, reached out for Daryl's elbow and led him over to a table inside the café, over towards the side, out of the way off the counter and all the foot traffic coming in and out. Beth loved to be outside, but she savored these nice moments inside during her lunch time when she often came into the grill, sat over against the wall, in the air conditioning, and enjoyed the cool. South Carolina coastal summers were gut-wrenchingly hot sometimes and moments in the air conditioning made her 10 hour shifts outside a little more bearable.

After Daryl sat down at the table, Beth realized that they hadn't gotten their drink cups from Joe and she started moving back towards the counter, turning to Daryl and saying "Be right back!". It made more sense for her to just go ahead and get their drinks herself – she just hoped that Daryl also wanted a Coke, just like shed did. She spoke quickly to Joe, who handed her two huge paper cups. Beth then walked over to the soda machine and filled up both cups with ice and Coke. She carried them back to the table, sitting one right in front of Daryl, while talking a large sip out of the other.

"I could have done that" Daryl said, seemingly a little embarrassed that Beth was fussing over him. For some reason, Beth wanted to let him know it was okay, that she liked taking care of people. So she reached over and patted his hand gently. He looked down at her hand and then looked back at her, with a surprised expression on his face. Beth wasn't sure if it had made him uncomfortable, so she quickly moved her hand away.

Beth instantly felt awkward. The light-heartedness from their moments ordering at the counter had passed and Daryl had returned to a bit more of a stoic countenance. Beth was sure that her own sudden seriousness hadn't helped him feel any more at ease. She wasn't sure what to do now, or what to say to take the conversation back in a more upbeat direction.

"Thanks for lunch" she finally said, taking another long sip of Coke and looking over her cup at Daryl. Daryl was also nursing his drink, obviously nervous and unsure what to say. Beth knew she needed to take the lead in the conversation – but she was strangely nervous around this man and she had no idea why. She realized, suddenly that maybe it had something to do with those butterflies she'd felt in her stomach. The thought unnerved her. She didn't even know this man and here she was sitting across the table from him, nervous and unsure of what to say.

Daryl nodded at Beth's thanks and, after an awkward moment passed, spoke up. "It's the least I can do… I should thank you for your kindness this morning… I… I don't know why you came up to me like you did, but… I… I'm sorry if I was so short. I… uh… I was in a bad place".

Beth just looked over at Daryl and nodded. She was afraid that if she asked questions, or said anything at all, Daryl wouldn't want to share. She didn't know why he felt like he needed to explain himself to her, but she hoped he'd open up to her more, even if it took a bit of time. She decided to just be silent for another moment, and let Daryl decide whether he'd continue talking about himself.

The silence was interrupted by Joe, calling out Daryl's name, telling him that their orders were ready. Daryl quickly got up, eying Beth and giving her a forced smile, and walked over to the counter. Joe handed him both of their orders, which were identical. As Daryl turned back towards her, though, Joe said something to Daryl, causing him to turn back around. Beth couldn't make out what he was saying, and she hoped it wasn't something that would make Daryl uncomfortable. Daryl's only response to Joe's words was a definitive nod and he headed back to the table.

After Daryl had placed their baskets in front of their respective chairs and taken his seat again, Beth thanked him and then enthusiastically exclaimed "let's dig in!". This brought a small smile to Daryl's face as he nodded and started to eye his food.

"So, uh… You originally from around here?" Daryl asked Beth all of a sudden. She thought it was cute that he'd decided to make conversation.

"No…." she responded, using her napkin to wipe her mouth. She would be mortified if she started talking and had something all over her face. "I'm originally from Georgia… a small town about an hour outside of Atlanta".

"Oh yeah?" Daryl questioned. "Where exactly?"

"You wouldn't have heard of it… it's a tiny place… Newborn, Georgia. I grew up there… my parents still own a pretty decent sized farm there". Beth noticed right away that her mention of Newton had cause Daryl to have a strange reaction.

"You're shitting me!?" Daryl said, maybe a little too forcefully. He looked over at Beth with a crazed expression on his face. "I'm from Covington!".

"What? Really? Are you kidding?" Beth asked. She couldn't believe that even though they were both at least 5 hours away from their homes in Georgia, that they'd both originally lived in neighboring towns.

"Really", Daryl responded as he picked up his hamburger and resumed his lunch. "Small world, I guess?" he added. Beth could tell that something about him had relaxed now. Maybe the realization that they'd both grown up within 15 miles of each other's homes made him see her on equal footing. She wasn't sure, but she was glad to see some of the tension in Daryl's shoulders start to release.

Their conversation drifted into where they both went to high school, places they liked to go growing up, and interesting commonalities between their lives, since they'd both come from towns very close to one another. Beth found herself in an easy conversation with Daryl and she couldn't help but start to see a gleam starting to return to his eyes. This morning, those eyes looked empty, lost, and hurt, but now, they seemed more alive. Beth didn't know what had changed for Daryl, but she was grateful.

"So, what brought you up this way, then?" Daryl asked, after they had both chatted exhaustively about all things related to Georgia.

"Oh, well… I always loved this area. When I was young, my family started coming here on vacation because my uncle lived here and he opened up his home to use every year for a week or two of vacation. Then… well… when I got old enough, sometimes I'd come up on my own with my older sister and visit, or, bring a girlfriend. Before my senior year in high school, my father finally agreed to let me spend the summer here lifeguarding. After that… well… after I'd really lived here for a summer… I couldn't leave. I decided that after I graduated I'd move back for good and go to college at the USC campus in Bluffton.", Beth explained.

"So, you stay with your uncle still, or…?" Daryl started to ask.

"Yes… well… no. Ha! Kind of. He actually doesn't really live here anymore. He got a big job offer in California 2 years ago. So he lives out there now. But we made a deal that I'd stay at the house, and take care of it, and he'd pay all the utilities… I guess he'd be paying them anyway just to maintain the house! It's been so amazing… It's such a cool place to live and all I have to worry about is earning enough for groceries and other things like clothes. And I work a lot in the summers since I don't go to class, so that helps me save up money to pay for school expenses too". Beth realized she was sharing a lot with Daryl all of a sudden – a lot of personal things about her living situation and her finances. But for some reason she trusted him. She could tell, somehow, although she didn't know how, that he was a good man.

"Wow", Daryl said. "Sounds like you've got a perfect setup!". Beth wasn't sure at first if the tone in his voice was complete sincerity of if there was a tad bit of another less desirable emotion. The last thing she wanted was for Daryl to think she was bragging about her perfect life. She loved her life – she enjoyed college, loved lifeguarding, and had lots of friends and stayed close with her family. But she also often felt very alone, particularly living a very large house all by herself. She also hadn't ever quite gotten over the loss of her brother Shaun – he had tragically been killed when she was 15 and the thought of it still stung like a slap in the face.

"Tell me more about yourself, Daryl. What brought you to Hilton Head?" Beth said, as she tried to take the focus off of herself and place it back onto Daryl. She wanted to know more about him – she knew almost nothing. And she had a strange desire to ask him all about his life, his family, and his interests. As soon as those words left her mouth though, Daryl looked at her with a cold expression. Beth all of a sudden worried – what had she said and why was he looking at her like a deer in the headlights? She was partially embarrassed for feeling like she was prying and muttered out, "Oh… sorry… You don't have to tell me…", but Daryl interrupted her.

"No, Beth. I should. It's fine. Maybe… maybe it'll be good to talk to somebody about it. Ya know?" Daryl said, seemingly trying to assure himself of what he was saying more than asking Beth.

Beth nodded her head. She wasn't sure what he meant. But she couldn't help but think that it had something to do with why he'd been sitting out on the beach for such a long period of time. She waited patiently for him to continue.

Finally, he spoke up again. "See… I… uh… I moved her for my girlfriend. Back in January".

"Oh…." Beth responded quickly. She didn't mean to say it, but it was her first reaction. Of course this man had a girlfriend, she thought. She was naïve to think anything otherwise.

"Yeah… she… has a business here and wanted me to move in with her and work for her company. I… I've done a lot of construction in the past… and she needed someone. So… well… I agreed", Daryl explained.

"Okay", Beth said, with a bit of uncertainty still hanging in her voice. She still wasn't sure where this explanation was going.

"But, it didn't work out. With her, I mean… The job was fine… Great actually… But, well… I obviously wasn't what she wanted… She… uh… God. Why is this so hard to say? I might as well just spit it out… She… She cheated on me." Daryl seemed almost in tears now, as he recollected the events that had brought him to this point. Beth, without thinking, reached out for his hand again, just like she'd done earlier. It was only meant to be a small reassurance and she only meant to pat the top of his hand a couple of times. But once she placed her hand over Daryl's she couldn't move it away. He seemed like he needed her support in that moment and for some strange reason, she was drawn to him and nothing would have stopped her from comforting him. Her grasp on his hand started to tighten and before she knew it, she was moving out of her chair and into the one directly next to Daryl, pulling herself close enough that she could put a comforting hand on his back. Daryl continued to look down at the table, but didn't move away from Beth's touches. She hoped that her response to him hadn't scared, but he'd given her no indication that he wanted her to stop what she was doing.

Beth just sat there with Daryl for what seemed like hours. She wanted to give him the time he needed to do what he needed. She wasn't sure if he would say anymore, but she thought he deserved the opportunity.

"I'm here for you… I… I know we just met, but, everyone needs a friend. And… well… I don't think it's a coincidence that you just happened to be sitting so close to my lifeguard chair this morning. If you want to talk about things… anything at all… I'm here to listen". Beth wasn't sure if that was the right thing to say to Daryl, but she hoped it conveyed what she hoped it would.

With her words, Daryl looked up at her, for the first time in a long time. He looked straight into her eyes, his own blue eyes piercing through hers like nothing she'd ever seen. He nodded in response to her offer and then suddenly started to speak again. Little by little, he told Beth about everything. He told her about meeting Andrea, and about her inviting him to move to Hilton Head. He told her about her lifestyle and how it had made him uncomfortable at times that she was so materialistic and concerned with appearances. He told her about Andrea's friends calling him her "man candy" and how over time he'd started to believe that she might see him that way as well. And finally, she told him about their fight, that Friday night, and how he'd left. He seemed to pour his heart out to Beth and she just sat and listened, with one hand on his and the other still firmly on his back.

Lastly, Daryl confided to Beth about his immediate concerns. He had no job and no place to live. Beth suddenly felt horrible for letting Daryl pay for her lunch, even if it had been less than $10, but he seemingly knew what she was thinking and reassured her that he had plenty of money saved. His concerns were more about the practicality of finding a place to live without any real job prospects or contacts.

Their conversation went on and on and Beth was so lost in it all, lost in Daryl, that she lost all track of time. She realized that she had no idea what time it was – but she didn't want to abruptly tell Daryl that she had to go. So she continued to sit there with him, hoping the conversation might lighten enough for her to mention that she really did need to get back to work.

All of a sudden, a stern voice from behind her brought her completely back to reality.

"Beth! It's 3:30! You've been off your chair for the last 3 hours! What in the world are you doing in here?".

Beth and Daryl both turned around towards the source of the voice.

It was Zach.