Page 30 of A Journey in the Bay

Caitlin’s cheeks flushed. She was staring at him, so instead, she stared out the window. Blueberry Bay passed by on her side, with the ocean and trees on Michael’s. She’d explored more of the town, but she hadn’t gone this far away from Alissa’s place or downtown.

“Where are we going?” Caitlin asked.

“What, you don’t like surprises?” Michael teased, a happy glint in his eyes.

“I’m just curious!” Caitlin chuckled. “I’ve never been out here before.”

“That makes the surprise even better. You’ll have to wait and see.”

“Can I get a hint? That would definitely make the surprise better.”

“Would it?” Michael slowed to a stop at a sign. “Or would it take away from it just a little?”

“I think it builds anticipation,” Caitlin said. “Like say it was someone’s birthday and they had no idea what surprise was in store. If you told them that their surprise involved the ocean or something like that, they might start getting ideas. And those ideas would make them more excited.”

“Fair point,” he said. Caitlin looked at him expectantly. “Still not telling you where we’re going, though.”

“Shoot. I thought that would work.”

They both laughed and Caitlin rested her arm along the truck’s window. Michael had the windows cracked to let the breeze in and it ruffled her hair. This was just what she needed. The tension across her forehead had already loosened up, preventing her from getting a terrible headache.

Michael made a few more turns until they reached a small road that led up to a lighthouse. The lighthouse itself was stunning, tall and well-maintained, but it was even more breathtaking when looking at the scenery around it. It was on the edge of a cliff, the water splashing against it from below. The hill leading up to it was a vibrant green, contrasting against the red of the lighthouse and the blue of the sky.

Michael parked in the small lot next to it and they both got out.

“Wow, this is beautiful,” Caitlin said, looking up. The lighthouse was even taller now that she was directly below it.

“Isn’t it?” Michael started walking around it and Caitlin followed. “This is one of my favorite places to come and think.”

Caitlin understood completely. An elderly couple was there, slowly making their way around the lighthouse also, but besides that, they were alone. The crashing of the waves against the water was the only real sound besides the cries of a few birds. The rhythm of it was soothing, like something she’d listen to if she were trying to fall asleep.

“It’s so peaceful.”

“It’s even nicer at night,” he said. “Lighthouses are a beacon home, a guiding light in the darkness. I come here when I’m feeling lost. It gives me clarity.”

Caitlin looked down at her feet, both to watch her step and to hide her reddened cheeks. The lighthouse was clearly a special place to him, something that felt secret. But still, he’d chosen to bring her here. He’d noticed how lost she was and gave her a place to guide her back to shore.

It might have just been a coincidence—maybe he would have brought her to the lighthouse for fun—but the thoughtfulness of bringing her here really showed her his emotional depth. She appreciated that in other people.

They rounded the side of the lighthouse, the opposite side than the one they’d seen pulling up. The view from there was even better. From this high up, she could see the ocean for miles, along with a few islands here and there. She even noticed a few surfers around the closest island.

“Oh look, surfers,” she said, pointing to where they were.

“That’s a decent spot, depending on the day,” he said, following where she was looking. “But not my favorite, if I’m being honest.”

“What’s your favorite spot, then?”

“Right on the beach in Blueberry Bay, down near The Crab.” He tucked his hands into his pockets, his handsome smile lighting up his face. “It’s perfect—the waves are consistently good and I can come right off the water and grab something to eat. I work up an appetite.”

“I bet. Surfing looks difficult.” She watched as a surfer fell off their board, emerging moments later.

“It is. It uses a lot of your core muscles and as smooth as the board is, you can’t calm the ocean or even predict which way it’s going to go most of the time. I’ve been surprised by waves in the past, even using my favorite boards in my favorite spots.”

“So the board itself matters a lot? Like what you said about the board you’re restoring?”

“Yeah. It’s sort of like…” He paused. “Have you ridden horses before?”

“Once or twice when I was a teenager, yeah.”

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