CHAPTER 8
I blinked as I stepped into the bright afternoon. After the dim restaurant, the sunlight seemed almost unnaturally bright. The sky was still a cloudless blue, and the water smelled salty and clean as it came off the ocean. The afternoon was almost unseasonably warm, and it felt surreal to have the warmth with the fall colors filling the trees. Despite my manager's best efforts to make my life miserable, it was a beautiful day.
"And Sam, if you miss another shift—you're fired!" Mike called out before the door swung shut. I didn't even turn around; I just kept walking. It was a gorgeous day, and I wasn't about to let him spoil it. He had been pissed about my missed shifts and had cut my hours just like I suspected he would. Normally, I would have been panicking, but I knew the money Rachel had promised had already been wired into my bank account.
The freedom of knowing that my credit cards were going to be paid off and that the tuition for Avery's private school was covered, despite losing my work hours, was fantastic. I could hop, skip, and sing because I knew I had at least a little bit of financial flexibility.
I hummed softly as I walked along the dock. Fishing boats bobbed gently in the distance, the white of their paint like extra wave caps in the distance. It was a perfect afternoon. If I had my windsurfing gear, I would have been out on the water in an instant.
I stumbled on a loose board, catching myself before I fell. My side burned and I grimaced, pressing my hand into my bruised rib. The rib was healing, but it still hurt if I breathed in too deeply. My wrist was no longer swollen, but I was still babying it. A couple of days more, and the bruises would be faded and I'd be back to my old self. In a week, no one would even be able to tell I had been in an accident in the first place.
I waved to Sheriff Matt as I walked up alongside his boat. It was a simple motor boat, perfect for fishing and day trips. I could see his poles and gear all stashed neatly in a corner as he pulled into his slip.
"Catch anything good?" I called out, grabbing his line as he threw it toward shore. I deftly secured his small fishing boat as he hopped onto the dock, carrying a cooler of fish.
"A couple of bass. You want one? I end up storing half of what I catch in my freezer until I'm sick to death of fish. You and your sister can have one on me," he offered. I thought about it for a moment but shook my head.
"Avery is going through a phase where, in addition to only wearing her princess costume, she will only eat things that are orange or green. Or chocolate." I gave him a smile. "So unless your bass is orange, green or made of chocolate, I'm afraid it won't get eaten at our house. Thank you, though."
Sheriff Matt laughed. "No problem. I'm sure I'll find something to do with it." He looked me over, obviously checking to make sure I wasn't still banged up from the accident. "How's Robbie doing? I haven't seen him for a couple of days, but I heard he stopped by the hospital to see you."
"He did. He's having a hard time getting over his dad's death. I think it's gonna take him a while to really accept it. At least they went out on good terms, but... I know how hard it can be to lose a parent. It hurts so deep, and that just never goes away." I looked down at the wooden planks, remembering my own grief. My heart ached for Robbie. This wasn't something that could simply be gotten over. "I'm supposed to meet up with him later this week. I'll tell him you said hi."
"I'm sure he'll just love that," Sheriff Matt said, rolling his eyes. "He's got potential. I just wish he'd see that. You sure you don't want a fish?"
"Yes, I'm sure," I said, nodding vigorously.
"I'll see you around, then. Have a good afternoon," the sheriff called out as he limped back toward the County Jail. I watched him for a moment. I knew he had been in the Army, but he never spoke about his injury. The way his eyes clouded whenever anyone mentioned it, though, I had a feeling it was not just a physical injury that caused the pain.
I continued along the dock. The smell of fish and seaweed brought back happy memories of my childhood. I had spent most of my days out on the ocean, playing with Robbie on boats or in the water. Even at school, sailing was all that Robbie and I ever talked about. We had big plans to sail across the ocean and see the world. Those plans had seemed so important back then.
I came around to a marina slip that was usually empty. I considered it my "dream" stall. It was where I liked to launch my windsurfing gear, and where I someday hoped to put a boat of my own. Where I was expecting an empty space, a beautiful, shiny new J111 racing sailboat sat bobbing gently.
I whistled softly, looking her up and down. She was just big enough that you could fit a party on the deck, but small enough that two could easily sail her. She had a strong, tall mast and what looked like new sails. I knew from experience that when properly handled, she would fly like the wind across the water. She was a beautiful, fast racing boat.
"Do you like it?" Robbie asked, stepping out from behind me. He had on his typical sailing gear of windbreaker-like pants and a tight fitting rash-guard shirt. His muscles, honed from years of sailing, were prominently displayed through the thin fabric.
"What do you mean, 'do I like it'? It's a beautiful boat. You win races with that kind of boat," I answered.
"Good. She's yours." Robbie watched my expression carefully as shook my head, trying to figure out exactly what he meant.
"You're giving me a boat?"
"Yes. I figured it's the least I could do. I knew you could always use something to race in, so I thought this would work. Do you like it?" A hint of concern that I might turn him down entered his voice, but he did his best to keep it hidden.
He needn't have worried. This was the boat of my dreams.
"This is almost too nice, Robbie. I don't know what to say," I said, stepping closer to the beautiful work of art that was this boat.
"Yes. You should say yes. It's not like I can't afford it."
"Then yes. And a big, big thank you," I said. His face relaxed as I smiled. "How did you know I would want this one? She's perfect."
Robbie blushed slightly. "I saw that you placed with this boat at nationals last year. You got your best times with this model."
"This has always been my favorite." I grinned and gave him a hug. His body pressed into mine, and I felt something in the pit of my stomach start to heat. I liked the way he felt against me. I held on for a moment longer than necessary, pulling away reluctantly. He just felt so good.
"You want to take her out for a spin?" Robbie's green eyes glinted in the sun with excitement.
"Hell yes! I was wondering how long you were going to make me wait," I said, hopping onto the deck and starting to untie the lines. Robbie laughed, his smile shining across the boat as he untied the mooring lines and jumped aboard.
He went to the back of the boat, taking control of the helm while I started the engine. The motor whirred to life and Robbie navigated us out of the harbor and into deeper waters. The wind was crisp and cool, the dark blue water calm with the white tips of the waves beckoning us out toward the horizon. It was a perfect day for sailing.
I killed the motor once we were far enough from shore, and together Robbie and I prepped the sails. We faced into the wind, and on Robbie's command, I raised the mainsail. Robbie shouted encouragement as I winched the sail to the proper tension, making it tight and tall into the sky.
The smaller, triangular jib went up next, unfurling and ready to catch the wind. Robbie flashed me a grin, turning the boat so that the sails filled with wind. The boat surged with power, coming alive and dancing across the water.
It felt wonderful to be working with him, the two of us shouting out what we were doing and what needed done. The two of us worked together seamlessly as if we had never been apart, urging the boat faster and faster.
The boat handled like a dream, increasing in speed and almost seeming to guide the wind into her sails. She cut through the ocean, the water dancing with life around her bow. Spray rose up and glittered through the air, catching the sun like falling jewels. It was a dream come true to sail such a perfect boat and know that she was all mine.
After a time, Robbie steered back into the wind, and the boat slowed to a stop. I pulled the sails down, tossing the sea anchor into the water. The blue sea sparkled like a giant sapphire as we stopped in the middle of the ocean, the shore line barely visible in the distance. It was something we used to do when we were kids, stopping to talk where no one could hear us, and I was glad he remembered it.
Once everything was secure, we both sat on the deck and Robbie pulled out a Snickers for the two of us to share. I kicked off my shoes, feeling the warm deck on my bare feet. Robbie's face concentrated as he carefully tore the bar into two fairly equal halves and let me pick. The sweet chocolate and caramel tasted fantastic as we sat in the sun.
"So, why aren't you out sailing professionally? I saw you were scheduled for some Olympic qualifying events, but that you didn't race," Robbie asked, his mouth full of chocolatey goodness.
"Have you been following my racing career, Robbie Saunders?" I asked. He blushed slightly.
"Maybe a little."
"My teammate had a back injury and couldn't race. Then when everything happened with Avery's grandmother and I needed to move out to be with Grace, I just took the season off." I shrugged as if it weren't a big deal.
Robbie examined me, his green eyes seeing right through my nonchalance. "I see."
"It sucks, but I didn't really have much of a choice. No partner, and Avery needed me," I tried to explain, but his expression didn't change.
"So why don't you sail single-handed? I remember you used to be pretty good at it. If you need a sponsor, I'll do it. I sponsor other racers all the time." He licked the last of the chocolate off his fingers, and I had a hard time not focusing on his perfectly shaped mouth.
"I don't sail single-handed. It's just not something I enjoy anymore. And Grace needs me to watch Avery now. I just don't have the availability."
"I could throw in a nanny as part of your sponsorship," he said.
"You do that for all your racers?" I teased, hoping he would drop it. I didn't like sailing single-handed. Despite everyone's insistence, I knew my parents died because I was out sailing by myself. It was sailing single-handed that led to their deaths.
"Just the ones I like. I'm serious, though. You should be sailing, Sam." Robbie leaned back, stretching his legs out in front of him. The sun caught his sandy hair, and he looked like an angel. But despite the fact that in that moment he was a gorgeous specimen of a man, I wasn't going to let him pressure me into sailing by myself.
"No, Robbie. Thank you, but I won't do it. Please don't push. I sail double-handed. Two people. That's it."
"Okay." A smile crossed his face, and I knew he wasn't going to try anymore. Robbie was stubborn, but he knew I could out-stubborn him. "So what do you want to name your boat?
I thought about it for a moment, frowning slightly as I went over names. It needed to be something special; something to do with family and the chance at making things better. "Let me think for a bit."
Robbie nodded. "You got it."
"Hey," I said, pointing to the distance. "Dolphins!"
"There's a pod that lives around here. They've always brought me good luck whenever I see them before a race." Robbie shielded his eyes and looked out across the water. The acrobatic creatures leapt through the waves, twisting and turning like dancers. I envied their grace through the water, the ability to sail without needing a mast.
I followed the dance of the dolphins as they disappeared into the ocean behind us. A sassy grin spread across my face as I stepped to the aft, looking down into the water.
"Hey, Robbie! Come look at this fish! I've never seen anything like it," I called out. There was no fish. There never was a fish, but Robbie used to fall for it every time. I hoped he would fall for it again.
"What? Coming," he answered. I heard him stand and pad softly across the deck to the stern. He came up beside me and peered into the blue sparkling water. "I don't see it..."
I pushed his shoulders, toppling him into the water. He landed with an ungraceful splash, spluttering and spitting out saltwater as he surfaced.
"Oh, it's a Robbie fish!" I bit my lip for a moment, hoping he wasn't angry, but his laughter soon filled my ears.
"Ha, ha. Very funny." He stuck is tongue out at me as he treaded water. His shirt had gone transparent, and I could very clearly see every one of his deliciously defined muscles.
"Come help me up," he said, motioning me toward the water. I went to my knees, laughing that he had fallen for my joke yet again, and offered him my hand. His wet fingers clasped strongly around mine, and I suddenly realized what I had just done. I couldn't believe I had forgotten this part. He flashed me an evil grin and pulled down hard, toppling me into the ocean.
The water was cold and incredibly salty. I was very glad I had kicked off my shoes and was wearing light clothing, but even though I was a strong swimmer, it was still hard to stay afloat. I surfaced, and Robbie was laughing, his head bobbing gently above the dark water.
"You fall for it every time," he snickered. I splashed a handful of water at him.
"You fell for it first." I ducked as he returned fire with a splash of his own. I couldn't stop giggling as we attempted to splash one another, darting around the water like dolphins ourselves.
My watch started to beep. I gave it an evil glare, but it didn't stop its high-pitched chirps. Robbie's expression went quizzical, and I sighed.
"I have to get home. Avery gets out of school in an hour and I have to pick her up." I wished I could just stay out on the boat for the rest of the day. That I could sit in the sunshine with the cool breeze on my face and enjoying Robbie's company forever. Instead, I needed to go brave the traffic of a million soccer moms and their rebellious progeny.
"All right, let's get those sails back up," Robbie said, reaching for the boat. He lifted himself easily out of the water, offering me a hand back up on deck. His hand was warm and strong against mine as he hauled me up. There was no way I would have been able to pull him into the water.
I stumbled up onto the deck, and he caught me in his arms. He was so close, his body warm even after being in the ocean. I looked up into his green eyes and my body pressed into him of its own volition.
My watch beeped again, reminding me that I had someplace I needed to be. The moment was broken, and he turned away. I silently cursed myself for wanting to kiss him. He was Robbie, my best friend. But he was also so much more now than he was eleven years ago.
He walked effortlessly across the boat, moving as though he had been born on the water. He hauled the sea-anchor up, his muscles flexing under his shirt. My mouth watered a little at the sight of him. Robbie was no longer the boy I had sailed with. He was a man and a good looking one at that.
I hoisted the sails and we hurried back to the docks, making good time. The wind had shifted, and it made our trip back easy. The wind was cold against my wet skin, but between the breeze and the sunshine, I'd dried out enough not to be worried about the cold. I was suddenly very glad the day had been almost unseasonably warm. As the dock came into view, Robbie switched on the engine, and I took down the sails. Robbie steered us easily into the slip, and I had the boat-hook and ropes ready to tie the boat down.
It only took us a moment to secure the boat, the knots flowing from our fingers as we tied and secured everything. Robbie did a quick double-check before we jumped from the boat and onto the dock.
"You are covered in salt," Robbie said, laughing as he brushed white grains from my cheek. "There's a freshwater bucket over there."
He took my hand and guided me toward an old-fashioned water spigot and turned it on. Crystal clear water sloshed out, and I put my hand under the flow. The water was warm, and I smiled. Robbie lifted a bucket and slid it under the spout. Memories of the last time the two of us had rinsed off under a bucket like this flooded my mind. I found myself aching to kiss him.
Robbie raised the bucket over my head, his strong arms steady as he prepared to pour it. I stepped in close to him, and he let the water fall over us. I stood on tiptoe and found his lips with mine, the water cascading around us.
This kiss wasn't the innocent first taste of love between two friends. Robbie didn't freeze this time, no longer a boy unsure of oncoming masculinity. This time, he let the bucket fall, his fingers tangling in my hair as he pressed his lips against mine. His body met mine, his heat seeping through wet clothes and filling me with a fire of want. Our tongues met, the taste of freshwater mixing in with the kiss. It was sweet and clean and everything I had ever expected in a kiss.
My watch beeped again, giving me one final warning. Breathless, I pulled away, our foreheads still touching as our lips separated.
"Go pick up your niece. I'll finish up here." Robbie's voice was low and full of want. Our eyes connected, and I lost myself in his sea of green for a moment.
"Okay," I replied. My head was spinning. I wondered if I had forgotten how to breathe. I stepped back, and Robbie's hands went to my shoulders. He looked me up and down and smiled.
"Thank you for the boat," I whispered. I leaned forward and kissed him again, not ready to leave him just yet. His mouth caressed mine, and time stopped for a moment. Then he pushed me back gently.
"You better go or you'll be late," he said. His green eyes held a fire that said he didn't want me to go, that he wanted so much more. I fought inwardly with myself, but I knew I had to leave.
"Avery's Hope," I said, taking a step back. His brows came together in a question. "I want to name the boat, Avery's Hope."
Robbie nodded. "That's a perfect name; and I think Avery will approve."
I took another step backward, making the distance between us grow and hoping that the extra space would make it easier to leave him. It didn't, but I knew I couldn't stay. I turned and started to walk back down the pier, my fingers going to my lips to feel the passion still surging within them.
"Hey, Sam?" Robbie called out. I turned, ready to run back down and into his arms if he asked. "I'd like to see you again. Can I take you out to dinner tomorrow?"
I beamed at him. "Yes. I get off of work at four."
"Excellent. I'll be at your house at five then. Dress fancy." His smile lit up the dock brighter than the sun. I nodded enthusiastically and then forced myself to hurry away so I could get to Avery by the time school got out.