Page 27 of Let Me

“Cool.I’m down.”

The worker at the dock advises us to grab life vests.I put mine on and assist Autumn with securing hers.Then we get on a boat, sitting in the front, our feet resting on the pedals.

“You’re the man.I’ll let you steer,” she says.“But I will pedal on my side, too.”

“You don’t have to.”

“No, I want to.I can’t tell you the last time I’ve been in one of these.It’s fascinating to me the things we forget to do as adults that we used to enjoy as children.”

“That’s true.The simple things in life bring the most pleasure.”

Simple things like seeing your face.Basking in your glow.

“I one-hundred percent agree with that.”

We pedal backward, then as we turn, we head forward, going away from land.I want to get as far out as possible – until I feel like I have her all to myself.

“Oh, my,” she says, huffing.“Can you tell I haven’t been to the gym in a while?”

“Why not?”

“Work.I’m usually so exhausted after I get home, I just crash.Sometimes, I don’t even have time to eat dinner.”

“That’s not good.”

“No, but,” she shrugs.“What can you do?”

“Quit.”

She laughs.It’s a sound I enjoy hearing.She has the cutest laugh that makes anyone who hears it smile.That’s how darling she is.

“I can’t quit,” she says.“Besides, I love what I do.It gets on my nerves sometimes, but it’s rewarding.”

“What all do you do there at the rec center?”

“I arrange different activities and classes for people.I work mostly with the older crowd.”

“What kind of activities are they doing?”

“You’d be surprised.They love yoga.I just planned an early morning outdoor yoga class.They line dance, learn different stretches to avoid injury.Oh, and chair aerobics with one-pound weights is all the rage.”

I grin.“One pound…”

“Yep,” she says, tickled.“You can’t tell them nothing when they get them weights.But, hey, I just like that they’re active.”

“That’s nice.You have the kind of personality that’s great for that.”

“How do you know?”she asks, side-eyeing me.

I look over at her and then back straight ahead again.“Because I have a good feeling about these things.”

“You have a good feeling about me?”

“Yes, I do.”

She stops pedaling.The water splashes up against the sides of the boat as we rock.Time slows.The world is quiet.Out here, it’s just me and her.It’s the solitude I need to figure out what’s going on in my mind where she is concerned.

I say, “It looks like we’re out far enough.Is this good?”

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