Page 23 of Love Overboard
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Jon bent forward and crossed his arms on the stone guard. “I’d love to do some diving out there.”
“Too deep for me. I prefer to stay close to shore.”
Jon tilted his head her way. “You were always cautious by nature. In everything.”
Lacey eased away and tucked her shirt in her waistband. The wind blew a stray hair from her ponytail, and she pushed it behind her ear. She walked to the other side and observed a signpost on the beach below. Large, colorful arrows were nailed to a weathered piece of wood with various city names and their distances in kilometers.
“It appears you can get anywhere from here.” She pointed, and Jon joined her. “Filipinas, Cuba, Halifax, Jamaica.”
“Key West.”
Lacey winced. That was the spot of their last date … nondate … whatever it was they’d had two and a half years ago. The ship they were working docked in Key West, and they’d spent their free time eating dinner in a romantic restaurant in town. Their six-month contracts concluded when they reached Orlando the next morning, and mandatory vacation time commenced.
“Do you remember what I said that night?” Jon asked.
“What?” Lacey’s mind returned to the present. He stood a safe two feet away, studying her. She cleared her throat and leaned on the guard-rail, crossing her arms. “What night?”
“Key West.” Jon mirrored her pose. “I said I had something important to tell you when we got home to Orlando.”
The sound of the waves crashing below them answered. Lacey said nothing. She was too busy keeping a neutral expression.
“You asked me to wait to say anything until after you’d visited your family … and then you never came back.”
“I heard they were giving out promotions on a different ship, so I transferred.” Lacey trailed her hand along the railing as she walked to the other side of the tower, aiming for nonchalance. “I guess we didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.”
“Goodbyewasn’t what I planned to say.” Jon matched her stride and stood closer this time. “As you’re well aware.”
“Hmm?” His intensity surrounded her like a thick fog. Lacey pretended interest in the view below, but he took hold of her arm and spun her around.
“Why did you do it?” His eyes stared into hers, searching.
“What do you mean?” She avoided his gaze.
“I’ve spent the past few days trying to make amends for whatever I did wrong back then.”
Lacey’s head jerked his direction. “Who said you did anything wrong?”
“You did. With your disappearing act.”
“I had a great opportunity for a promotion, and I took it.”
“Did you also have a great opportunity to change your phone number, and you took it?”
“I’m no good at goodbyes.” Lacey stood still, meeting his scrutiny without wavering. “Sometimes it’s easier to pack and go. Parting from friends is painful.”
“Friends?” Jon released her and retreated. “Is that what you would have called our relationship?”
“Absolutely.” Lacey’s wide smile raised her cheeks until they ached. “We ate together, hung out together, laughed together. That’s whatfriendsdo.” No need to mention the rest. The staring into each other’s eyes without speaking. The butterflies in her stomach. The tingly embraces.
Jon opened his mouth and closed it. He opened it again. And closed it again. The air left his nostrils in a violent snort. He turned around and walked through the door by the lantern room. His heavy footsteps echoed off the stone as he descended the stairs, leaving Lacey alone at the top.
Her smile and shoulders drooped in tandem. She sank to the floor, pressed her fingertips to her temples, and took a deep breath. Then another. A seagull mocked her with a raucous cry.
She glared at the bird. “What are you laughing at?”
Fluffy white clouds stretched overhead. They reminded her there’d been another witness to the whole conversation. Someone who knew what a pack of lies she’d spouted.
“Sorry, God.” She dropped her gaze. “I know I’m a coward. But … it’s safer this way.”
