Page 28 of Changing Tides

I follow the sound of Leia’s laughter toward the bustling marina until I spy her sweet brown curls bobbing in the wind as she chases the birds across the pier. She is wearing a small yellow life vest over her blue sundress.

Sabel is on a bench close by, bellowing for Leia to slow down and be careful.

I sneak up on her, grab her waist, and hoist her into the air.

“Mommy! Did you see the gulls? Aren’t they cool?”

“I saw someone aggravating the seagulls,” I reply.

Sabel stands and walks over to us.

“How was your afternoon, dear?” she asks.

“It was great. Thank you for watching her for me. I hope she wasn’t too much trouble.”

“No trouble at all.” She asks Leia, “We had a great time together, didn’t we?”

“The best! I met Cap’n Crunch,” Leia yells.

I hear chuckling, and my attention is drawn to a fishing boat docked to our right.

“That’d be me.”

Sebastian’s voice causes my legs to go weak again, and I shakily set Leia on her feet.

“Mommy, come look! We caught a fish,” Leia calls as she runs toward the boat, Sabel on her heels.

“You did?”

She looks back at me and nods as Sabel begins introductions.

“Avie, you remember Sebby and Donnie Dale. This is Anson and Parker, who work for Sebby, and you met our grandson, Sebastian,” she says as she pats the back of the man leaning against the side of the boat.

He stands and throws his hand up to greet me.

A huge smile spreads across his face as his sea blue eyes meet mine. “It’s nice to meet you. Again.”

“You too,” I choke out.

There’s no recognition in his expression, but Anson comes up behind him, and his eyes squint in my direction.

“What did you say your name was?” he asks.

“Avie. Avie Sullivan,” I reply.

His eyes go wide, and a grin spreads from ear to ear.

“Hawaiian Barbie!” he cries.

That’s when Sebastian’s head whips around, and his gaze focuses on me.

“Avie?” he utters.

“Yeah,” is all I manage to say.

Anson and Parker hop down from the vessel and over to me.

“Wow, that’s crazy. What brings you to Sandcastle Cove?” Parker asks.

---