She chuckled. “I was thinking about the boat, teaching your dad to sail, and Dora, the little canine therapist. I think Adam might have done more for you than—”
“I know,” I said instantly. There was no need to talk about it any longer. We understood each other. “I totally get it, Mom. I get what you’re saying about Dad and marriage.” I might have appreciated the less graphic version more, but oh well.
* * *
MY MOM WAS seasick for the first four days on our trek to Bora-Bora. I felt so bad for her, but she made it through, got her sea legs, and eventually became a pretty good deckhand. The trip was smooth. The weather was good for the entire three-week journey from Hawaii.
When we arrived in Bora-Bora, where Helen was to be married in three days, we docked the boat quickly, headed to the overwater bungalows, and checked in. I chose one as far away from my parents as I could—not because I didn’t want to be near them, but because I figured they’d want their space after so long at sea.
That night, I met Helen and Roddy in the resort restaurant.
“You look amazing, especially for being on a boat for over a month,” Helen said, as we walked to our table. I was wearing a flowing white sundress and sandals. My skin was tanner and my hair, lighter. Helen looked different, too. She was glowing and Roddy was smiling from ear to ear, both of them radiant.
“Well, you guys look pretty darn good yourselves.” We all hugged and then sat down.
After we ordered food and drinks, I said, “I got a fuchsia dress to wear for the ceremony, I hope that’s okay.” I popped a piece of shrimp into my mouth.
Helen looked at Roddy. “That should go fine, right? What is Seth wearing again? Khaki shorts and a black shirt or something?”
I coughed; the shrimp went flying across the room. “Excuse me, what?”
Roddy frowned. “Yeah, khakis and a black shirt. Is that okay?”
“No, it’s fine,” I said. “I just didn’t know he’d be here. I mean, I didn’t know he was going to be in the wedding.”
Helen’s eyes were wide, but Roddy looked irritated. “He’s my best friend. He’s the best man.”
“Helen didn’t tell me.”
“You didn’t ask,” she countered.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “It’s fine. It’s your wedding.”
“Well, it’s not like you two don’t get along,” she said.
“I just haven’t seen him. I haven’t said anything to him.”
“Well, it’s perfect then. You have three days before the wedding to work everything out. He’s coming in today,” Roddy said.
“Is he bringing his girlfriend, too?” My stomach was doing somersaults. I felt like heaving shrimp all over the table.
Helen looked at Roddy pointedly. “Who’s his girlfriend?” she asked.
“He doesn’t have a girlfriend, I don’t think.”
I huffed. “Well, I’m sure he doesn’t tell you everything. I met some Sara girl who had his dog at the hospital.”
Roddy and Helen looked at each other and smiled. Helen reached out and took my hand in hers. “Charlie, Sara is Seth’s sister. Tall, blond, boobs?”
“Yeah.”
“Yeah, his sister. See, there’s still so much to learn about him.”
I will admit now that there was something familiar about her.
“She was taking Obi-Wan to Children’s,” Roddy added.
“Oh . . . so he doesn’t have a girlfriend?”
“Not that I know of,” Roddy said.
I wasn’t convinced, but at least I could rule out Sara. I was also confused as to why I cared. It wasn’t really my business. Seeing Seth no matter what was going to be awkward.
30. New Life
By two in the afternoon, I was thoroughly buzzed on Tahitian rum and tropical fruit. Sitting in my bikini on the deck outside my bungalow, reading an old tattered copy of The World According to Garp, I noticed something from the corner of my eye. Across the lagoon sat another set of bungalows, and out on his deck was Seth, waving his arms spastically at me. “Hellooooo, neighbor!” he yelled.
I stood and stared, feeling hesitant to respond. He was wearing only trunks and he was far away, but I knew it was him. I could easily make out the mess of brownish hair on top of his head. Even from a hundred yards away, I could see the ridges in his stomach. I waved, finally. “Hello!”
For me, breaking the glacier I had formed between us was going to take a lot more than a casual wave across a tropical lagoon.
“I’ll come to you,” he yelled, and dove into the water.
Oh my god, Oh my god! I looked down at myself. I was almost naked. I stood there, slightly trembling, not sure what to do, as I watched his strong body swim quickly through the water in my direction. I walked down to the lower deck right as he grasped the deck railing and hoisted himself up with agile grace onto the wooden platform.
I looked at him towering over me, grinning like a boy who had won first prize. The water was dripping off his perfect body. When he shook his hair out, I flinched. “It feels great. You should try it,” he said. He seemed unfazed by what I considered to be a monumentally uncomfortable situation.
“Um, . . . I . . .” The tension, oh god, the confusion. I couldn’t tell what I was thinking or how I was feeling. All I could see was his glistening body sparkling in the sun.
“?‘Hello, Seth, how are you?’ would be a good start,” he said, smirking.
I blinked, still speechless. Why is he being so friendly? I broke his damn heart.
“Charlotte Martin, will you speak? I heard you have a boat and a dog now?”
“Yeah,” I said, still stunned at how gorgeous he was. I had conveniently forgotten what it felt like to be in his presence. “Dora is with my parents. How’d you know?”
“Obi told me. He likes her.” He wiggled his eyebrows. Sara must’ve told him about the run-in at the hospital.
“Ha!” I said absently, still preoccupied with his stupid muscles.
“Well, I can see this isn’t getting anywhere.”
He scooped me up like a bag of flour and threw me, not gently, into the air. “Argh!” I screamed as I flew at least ten feet from the deck before hitting the water and sinking straight to the bottom. Seconds later, I heard a crash as the water exploded around me. As the bubbles cleared, I saw Seth swimming toward me with long, expert strokes. The lagoon was perfectly cool and crystal blue. The sun blasted through it, making it possible to see every bit of white sand below us and every tiny tropical fish swimming near us. The word heaven popped into my mind as we swam together beneath the surface.
After a few moments, we came up for air.
“You threw me in,” I said, breathing heavily.
“Your powers of observation are as sharp as ever, Charlie.” He swam toward me and placed his hands on my hips. Oh god, his hands are on my hips. He was smiling that boyish, healthy smile, and I couldn’t help but smile back, despite my complete shock that he was being so friendly.
I squirmed out of his arms and dove under the water to swim away. He grabbed my foot and pulled me back like I was nothing. I had forgotten how young and virile Seth was. When I surfaced, I was laughing and spitting water everywhere.