Bo’s brows rose. “Thank you.”
“You’re the number one request we get whenever a homeowner needs work done. That’s impressive. We have a select list of names, and unless it’s an emergency, most homeowners say they’ll wait for you.”
“I’m grateful for the opportunity,” he replied modestly.
“You’re good,” Judy continued. “And dependable, honest. And you’re the best carpenter I’ve ever worked with.”
“You make me blush.”
She laughed. “I’m not blowing smoke,” she said with a wry grin. “It’s just the simple truth. So . . .” She punctuated her statement by spreading her palms out on the table. “There’s an opening for the island maintenance manager. It’s a full-time job with full benefits. And it includes the caretaker’s cottage. You’d be working directly under me. The board discussed it, and the decision was unanimous. We’d like to offer the position to you.”
Myriad emotions rushed through Bo at this unexpected offer—surprise, but also pride, excitement, uncertainty.
His face eased into a grin. “I’m honored. Thank you.”
Judy’s eyes sparkled with pleasure. She reached into her bag and pulled out an envelope. She set it on the table. “This is the formal offer. Read it. Think about it. Then call me.” She put her fingertips on the envelope and slid it across the table to him.
With that Judy stood up. Bo jumped to his feet, almost tipping over his chair. He walked her to the door. Judy turned and offered her hand. When he took it, she gave it a firm shake and looked him square in the eyes.
“Bo. I hope you say yes.”
HEATHER HAD NEVER been on a ferry before. She waited at the Dewees Marina on Isle of Palms with six or seven other men and women until the captain signaled it was time to board. Most of the others knew the drill. They gathered their parcels, children, and dogs, most of them dragging carts filled with groceries, luggage, and purchases made in town. There were no shops of any kind on Dewees and these folks were prepared. Heather towed her small suitcase behind her down the well-worn wooden dock. Bo had been doing carpentry for several of the houses on the island. He still had another week’s worth of work lined up after today. When he’d called to invite her to visit, she’d wondered if he’d heard the dejection in her voice. She didn’t want to tell him about Natalie’s visit on the phone or in a text. She felt at a loss about what she would do come September. The one person she wanted to talk to about it was Bo. With him she could open up and let her true feelings flow, good and bad, and not worry about being judged.
So she’d packed a bag and was on her way to a small island a ferry’s ride away. She couldn’t stay longer than a night, as she had to get back to painting her shorebirds with the September deadline looming. But for today, she was on vacation.
The captain stepped off the boat, waved his arm, and called, “All aboard!” Heather joined the queue of people, kids, and pets. Once on the boat she secured her luggage and signed in with the steward. The atmosphere was friendly. Everyone seemed to know one another. She heard exclamations of “Welcome back!” and “My, look how much you’ve grown!” directed at the children. There were plenty of seats in the airy space below, but she didn’t want any of the friendly chatter directed toward her, so she climbed up to the top deck. Here only two other older girls sat shoulder to shoulder, ignoring the view and tapping their phones. The sun shone on her face and the morning air was ripe with the scents of salty sea and fish. Once everyone was seated, the captain started the big engines; they churned the water as the ferry slowly backed out of the dock, rocking gently. They slowly motored out of the no-wake zone. Heather leaned against the metal railing and played tourist, gawking at the scenery. On the right were huge houses with long docks, each with boats at moor. She looked at them, wondering who lived there, what they were like. Pelicans roosted on the jute-covered pilings. On the left was Isle of Palms Marina, which housed boats ranging from huge yachts to fifteen-footers to Jet Skis.
Once they were on the open water, the captain opened up the throttle and they sped through the Intracoastal Waterway. White-capped waves created wide wakes that rippled far across the expanse of blue water. Heather grabbed her hat and smiled, despite the melancholy that persisted. On either side of the ferry was a panoramic view of lush green landscape, wide blue water with snaking creeks that meandered through acres of sea grass, and everywhere were birds—flocked on shorelines, flying overhead, wading in creeks. Heather let go of her self-doubt and guilt at taking a bit of time off and simply enjoyed the luxury of time cruising the water. Yet she still felt her fingers twitch for a piece of charcoal to sketch the birds she was observing.
One simply had to see the lowcountry by water, she decided. It was the best way to experience the magnificence of the landscape and the wildlife. But it was more than that. During the journey across the water, she felt all the stress and anguish that she’d been holding in since Natalie’s visit slide away, and she opened up her frame of mind. She spotted a pair of buoyant dolphins chasing the boat’s wake, as though to punctuate her realization.
Fifteen minutes later she spied the white beaches of Dewees Island and, closer, the island’s dock. The captain reduced speed and neatly maneuvered the ferry into the dock. The moment he cut the engines, the passengers rose en masse, grabbed their carts, bid farewell to friends, and disembarked.
She stepped off the boat and right away heard Bo calling her name. A jolt of excitement and anticipation coursed through her. Searching the small group of people waiting, she spotted the one man taller than the rest, his long, lanky form clad in faded brown shorts and a T-shirt. He lifted his arm in a wave, and she noticed he was carrying a dozen yellow roses. Her heart did a flip as she waved back, then made her way up the ramp, dragging her small overnight case.
It had been only two weeks since they’d been together, but it felt like much longer. Her attraction for him redoubled as she took in his handsome features and sky-blue eyes. Absence did indeed make the heart grow fonder, she thought.
He swooped in to wrap her in a hug. “I thought you’d never get here,” he murmured as he held her close.
Tears threatened. “I missed you. I have so much to tell you.”
“Me, too,” he said, and kissed her. Then, stepping back, he grinned and said, “Later.” He took her bag and extended his arm. “Your chariot awaits.”
Bo led her to one in a long row of golf carts parked along the dock’s walkway. Cars were not allowed on the environmentally concerned island, so everyone got around by golf cart, bicycle, or on foot. He lifted her suitcase into the back and smiled with eagerness, like a boy about to show off his favorite secret place.