Page 24 of The House on Firefly Beach
“It’s my first purchase since moving back,” he said. “I can’t be by the water and not have a boat.”
Sydney didn’t want to consider the fact that buying that boat would make it more difficult for him to just pick up and leave. She’d hoped he’d get tired of his old small-town life sooner rather than later.
“Take a ride with me,” he said, walking toward her. “Just friends, I promise; no pressure. I brought Juliana,” he offered when he reached her, as if that would make the situation any better. “She’s on the boat.”
“Can we go, Mama?” Robby pleaded.
“I just got off of work…” she said, knowing her excuse was flimsy at best.
Robby clasped his hands together, begging her with his eyes to say yes. The boat ride was so enticing that it was overpowering his reluctance to be with Nate.
“Why did Uncle Hank ask you over?” Sydney asked, still trying to make up her mind.
“He said he wanted to talk about Starlight Cottage, but then Lewis asked him if he’d take a walk, and he said he’d catch up with me later.”
Sydney wondered what in the world Uncle Hank would want to discuss with Nate regarding Starlight Cottage. She was definitely going to ask when he and Lewis got home. But right now, Robby was tugging on her arm, giving her puppy-dog eyes.
“I’ve got food on the boat,” Nate said. “Why don’t you put your swimsuit on and come with us? Robby wants to jump off the back so I’m going to take him out in the gulf.”
She opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off.
“I’ve got a life vest for him. And an inner tube. And goggles.”
Sydney tried to come up with some reason to say no.
“…And peanut butter sandwiches,” he added. “Syd, come on. Have a little fun.”
Was he implying that she didn’t have fun? She might be having a blast right now and not need his fancy boat to give her a good time.
“I’ll go get my towel!” Robby said, running off toward the cottage, clearly trying a different persuasion tactic.
Nate took a step closer to Sydney. “I remember when you were a fearless dreamer who could outthink me in a second. You wowed me at every turn. You’d have been the first one on the boat, probably even driving it yourself. You’re so cautious now.”
She didn’t dare tell him that he’d broken her when he’d left. His leaving had caused her to grow up quickly, to get her head out of the clouds. All those dreams and possibilities that she’d pondered—he’d taken them with him when he’d left.
“Things change,” she said, her tone less harsh than it had been before. They couldn’t change how he left, so all they could do was move on from this.
“They definitely do,” he replied, his mind clearly heavy with thoughts. He cleared his throat. “Juliana wants to meet you,” he said, changing the subject.
Sydney’s heart pounded. Talking with Juliana would give Sydney closure on the whole thing; meeting her would solidify the idea that Nate Henderson was in her past and Nathan Carr was the person standing opposite her now. And Sydney had wanted to talk to her about the photo shoot anyway…
“Come on,” he urged. “I need you to guide me back into the water.”
That made her smile. Years ago, whenever he’d bring the boat down from his house, Nate had always gotten it stuck on the sand, and the two of them had to push and pull until it floated free.
“I won’t be able to move that monstrosity,” she teased.
“I just bought it. You don’t like it?” There was a twinkle in his eye when he asked, which made Sydney take another look at the boat.
“Is that a bridge boat?” she asked.
He nodded. “A Sea Ray.”
A distant memory floated into her consciousness. “When we’re both old, I still want to sit together just like this,” he’d said as they rocked in two chairs on the porch at Starlight Cottage, both of them looking out at the glistening water that seemed to stretch forever, just like the years ahead of them.
“Nah,” Sydney told him. “We’ll be too famous. No one will ever leave us alone if we sit out here on these chairs. We’ll have to float way out to sea on our yacht if we want to be alone.”
Nate had laughed. “Yes, we’ll definitely need a yacht. How about a Sea Ray?” he said, naming one of the boats he’d pointed out to her once in his fishing magazine.
