Page 33 of A Wedding in the Bay

“Of course.” She smiled as she pulled away from the hug, noting that he smelled of a rich, musky cologne and not at all like fish. “Happy to be here.”

“Give me one second to disconnect us from the dock, and then we can be on our way.”

She stood and watched with interest as he worked. The wind picked up—there was a light breeze that day, and although it was chilly it was not piercing cold. Overhead, the sky was a serene blue, and a few fluffy clouds meandered across the sky.

“There,” he said, turning to her with a grin. “That’s done, then. Want to come below with me?”

She nodded, feeling a growing sense of excitement. She was finding the fishing boat far more fascinating than she had expected to. He led her down a narrow staircase and through a small door that led into the cabin of the boat.

It was a little messy—clearly the boat of a bachelor. A couple of unwashed coffee mugs rested by the wheel. Overall, however, it was clean and comfortable, and she smiled. He picked up a couple of thermoses and glanced at her.

“These will help keep us warm up there,” he said. “I put extra cream in your coffee. Sorry, I didn’t have any sugar.”

“That’s quite all right,” she said, gratefully taking the thermos he handed her. “It was thoughtful of you to prepare something.”

“I have to make sure you stay warm,” he said, and the way he said it was so sweet that her heart felt light all of a sudden.

They went back up into the cold sunshine, and Everett began to steer the boat away from the dock.

“This is so exciting,” she said, grasping the sides of her thermos and taking an eager sip. The coffee was excellent—and she felt that Everett had added just the right amount of cream.

He turned to her, grinning. “Just wait until you see more of the ocean.”

The boat moved quickly away from the harbor, and Johanna gazed in delight at the way the sunlight flashed on the dark blue water. They went out farther into the ocean, until the coast was barely visible in the distance, and she felt a kind of peace.

“We’re surrounded by blue,” she said, almost dreamily, and then she shivered as the wind picked up and blew against their faces.

“Are you cold?” he asked, wrapping an arm around her.

“Not anymore.” She sighed, cuddling up against him for warmth.

She felt him chuckle through the sleeve of his coat, and they stayed huddled up together for the rest of the boat ride. She found it soothing to be close to him, and every time she glanced at his face, she saw that he was smiling.

The view of the ocean was breathtaking, and she felt stirred by the beauty of it.

“This is opening up a whole new appreciation for the ocean for me,” she murmured. “I’ve always loved the look of it from the shore, but it’s different to be out here on the waves like this. I’ve been on a cruise ship before, but it’s not the same. This way you can feel the water moving under you.”

“I love it,” he said, his eyes shining. “The ocean talks if you listen.”

“I think it’s saying all kinds of mystical and marvelous things.” She laughed lightly. “I’m going to appreciate living in an ocean-side town even more after this. The ocean feels like something I’ve met now. Like a friend.”

He squeezed her gently, grinning broadly.

She laughed, but she didn’t quite know how else to put her thoughts into words. She felt the spaciousness—the majesty—of the ocean in a way she never had before. The free, open feeling of it all was such a nice contrast to how crowded and tight New York had felt.

For a while they didn’t talk much, and both of them simply stared out at the gentle waves. She found their companionable silence comfortable, and she felt pleased by how easy it was to get along with him.

After a while, however, she felt a desire to strike up a conversation with him. After all, her date was with him, not the ocean, and she wanted to make sure she spent their time together getting to know him better.

“So,” she said, turning to him with a smile. “What do you like best about fishing?”

He chuckled. “Where to begin? I like providing something that people need in order to live. You know, food. That’s satisfying. And I love catching the fish, that’s satisfying.” Although his words were simple, she got a sense that he was passionate about his job. It was something that he was happy to get up and do every day, and she found that admirable.

“And my father was a fisherman,” he said. “He taught me how to fish. How to watch the signs of nature. It was something we did together for many years before he passed away. I think that’s what means the most to me about fishing—I feel closer to my father when I’m on the water.”

She saw a tender light in his eyes as he talked about his father, and she squeezed his hand gently. He smiled at her and hugged her sideways.

“I’m sure your father was very proud of you, taking on the family business like this,” she said warmly.

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